April 24, 2012 ~ Big Boy Bedtime

Tonight at bedtime I let Billy pick out the stories for me to read to him. He doesn't get stories every night and he doesn't always get to pick them. But he loves it when he gets to pull the books off of the shelf and find he one he wants to here.

First up... "Elmo book!" Actually, it a book about Sesame Street monsters and doesn't include Elmo. I think it might even be from before Elmo moved to Sesame Street. But according to Billy, any muppet-like creature is Elmo, regardless of size, color or monsteriness. He sits down in my lap on the floor, as usual, and I read his book to him. Well, most of it. He got bored 6 pages in to the 10 page book.

Next up... "Truck book!" This would be Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site. It's one of his favorites. But would he sit in Mommy's lap? Oh no. Billy is a big boy. He noisily dragged his Billy-sized rocking chair over next to Mommy and sits down. He waves at me like an old business tycoon used to getting his way. "Read on, Mummy dearest, read on." He's never sat in the rocking chair for a story.

First comes the crane. "Mommy, isha truck truck!" Yes. I keep reading. "Mommy, Pooh!" Yes, the crane has a teddy bear. All stuffed animals are Pooh, regardless of size, color or general poohiness.  Then we read about another truck. "Mommy, Mommy!" he tugs on my arm. "Isha truck truck!" It is a truck truck. You're right.

Ok wait. Hold on. He's awake again. Let me go put him back to bed. Ok I'm back. Whew. Easy Peasy bad to sleepy.

Next up, the dump truck. He falls asleep and starts to snore. I affect the best zzzzzzzzzzz I can manage. Billy breaks into fits of giggles. Well, I probably looked pretty silly.

Here comes the bulldozer. I read all about it and get to the part where he makes noise. As load as I can without screaming I ROAARRR!!! Billy leaps out of his chair and falls into my lap as fast as he can. He wraps his arm tightly around me and picks his feet up off the floor, tucking them under him as though the floor might just crawl up and bite him. He huddles in a little ball curled against my chest. Better watch out for Mr. Bulldozer. He might just leap off that page and come get you, looking all cute and cuddly as he does.

We read about the last truck while he's still in my lap and then send them all off to bed. And then it's time for him to go to bed too, still cuddled up in my lap.

Maybe he's not quite a big boy yet.