the sara ochs blog

Each night we tuck our babies into their beds, and each night they pop back out like little prairie dogs. It is inevitable. It is unavoidable. I know that Super Nanny 911 would argue that it can be stopped, but I am not her and she is not me (and we is not thee - somebody stop me).

The reasons vary with each child. Caroline always has to go potty. Even though she has gone to the bathroom literally seconds before we tuck her in. We let her go because it is easier to let her pretend to go potty than to recover from a total meltdown if we do not let her. Sometimes she changes things up and says that she is hot and wants to change her jammies. Or sometimes she needs socks or needs to take socks off. Sometimes her blanket is crooked and needs to be smoothed out. She likes variety.

Anderson has to blow his nose, or needs an allergy pill, or wants to check on us, or has to take Sullivan to go potty. He is a man of many excuses.

Sullivan talks to Anderson or gets Anderson to take him to the bathroom. Sullivan rarely actually gets out of his bed, but he makes Anderson do his dirty work for him. Not that he takes advantage of his position as the baby of the family or anything.

Last night was a whole new reason. Anderson pulled a loose tooth out after we tucked him in (his third - third tooth and third tuck in for the night). We rejoiced in his greatness and bravery and gave him a paper towel to stop the bleeding. We decided to show Caroline the tooth since we knew she was still awake. After the hoorah was complete it was time to get tucked in…again.

I put Caroline back in her bed and kissed her goodnight. And that is when she pulled out the big guns. She told me that she had not gone to sleep yet because she was crying. I asked her what made her cry and her answer was that she was crying because she just loved me so much. Crying because she loved me so much! My heart turned to total mush! So we hugged and kissed and said “I love you” to each other a million times.

I do not know what prompted Caroline to say what she said last night, but I do know that when she gets out of bed tonight I will be a little more patient and understanding. But just a little…babies do eventually have to go to sleep. Even if they love their mama so much that it makes them cry.