Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures

Since we haven't had much excitement going on, I thought I would share with you the brilliance that is my husband! 

The boys had a long day today.  After being at church for almost 4 hours, Chris and I shipped each of them off to a grandmother's house while we went to band rehearsal.  And after lots of grandmother time, they were exhausted when we came home.  (And, if you're a parent, you know that when I say "exhausted"...I am really being nice.  What I really mean is "there was a lot of screaming and crying.")  We decided to put them straight in the bathtub, and I would make my exit and head to Publix.  (Is it a sign of old age when you start looking forward to solo trips to the grocery store?)  So, as I kissed the boys good bye and told them goodnight, they were "exhausted."  (And yes, I mean screaming and crying.)

Now, Warren and I have developed a routine of reading one chapter of a Junie B. Jones book aloud every night.  And we both love this time together!  Meanwhile, while Warren and I are reading, Chris and Harper are reading one of two books (over and over and over)....Thomas the Train, Go Train Go! or a story from the Backyardigan's.  Because I was at Publix, the reading tradition was not able to go quite like normal  And, as you may know, anything out of the normal routine, does not sit well with "exhausted" children.  So, my brilliant husband got creative.  (And while that sounds sarcastic, I do not mean it to be in the least!  I was totally impressed and touched when I got home.) 

Desperate times call for desperate measures.  In an effort to bribe the boys to go to sleep, here is what I came home to...what kid wouldn't want to go to sleep?

Brotherly Love

Although it's been awhile since I've had much to post about....tonight is just a short and sweet reminder of "brotherly love."  Chris and I decided awhile ago to move the boys into the same room.  We certainly have nights where we regret the move (such as Monday night, when one would wake up crying and in turn, wake the other up....thus, leaving us awake all night).  But, those nights are few and far between (Who am I kidding?  They are a lot closer "between" than we'd like) and nights like tonight more than make up for the rough nights.

As the boys were going to bed tonight, I was "working" in the next room.  (I use the word "working" loosely, because really, I was sitting, listening to them try and go to sleep.)  This was the conversation I heard: 

Harper:  Warren?

Warren:  Yes Harper?

Harper:  I love you.

Warren:  I love you too, Harper.

Warren:  I love you more than anything.

Harper:  I love you three!

Warren:  Harper, can we just be quiet and go to sleep?

Never Grow Up

Just when I thought tonight was a wash...Warren and I had one of "those" conversations that money can't buy.  It all started when we made plans to finally get back to church on Wednesday nights.  Chris called and said he was stuck late at work and probably wouldn't be able to make it.  Plan A down the tubes. 

Being my positive self, "That's ok" I thought.  Instead, "I'll go run after the boys go to bed."  Harper picked the bedtime story, David and Goliath.  I think he enjoys it because he relates well to Goliath.  As I sat in bed reading to them, all seemed to be going well...or so I thought.  After we finished reading, Warren sat trying to explain something to me.  As he sat punching his fists against the bed, it dawned on me, I wasn't understanding what he was explaining.  And while I know he needs to learn to deal with his frustrations and anger, sitting in his pjs, with his clean combed hair, my heart just broke for him.  So, I went ahead and told Harper goodnight.  (And, in typical Harper fashion, so carefree, he went right to bed.)  And Warren and I went to the rocking chair to calm down and talk.  Had I known what our talk would involve, I would've skipped straight to the talk.  (And, if you're keeping track....Plan B down the tubes.  I can run any night.)

After we sat and talked about his frustrations, he started asking me how Daddy knew he wanted to marry me and how I knew I wanted to marry him.  He asked me what a husband was.  "When will I be a husband?"  "But Mommy, where will I live when I'm a husband?"  "Is Pj a husband?"  Then, we got to the "meat" of the conversation, starting with a stream of tears.  Not cute, fake tears.  Sad, honest tears.  "But Mommy, I don't want to wiv somewhere else.  Because, if I wiv somewhere else then I won't have my toy house."  So, after calming him down and assuring him that he was going to "wiv" right here for a very long time (although not too long), I  reassured him that he was not going to "wiv" anywhere else until he was a grown up.    "But Mommy, I don't want to grow up." 

I couldn't help but think of the sweet Taylor Swift song, "Never Grow Up."  All this, the day after a teenager was hit by a bus and innocently taken far too soon from her family.  So, while I didn't get to church like I had hoped...and I didn't get to run like I had hoped...I did get to rock my sweet five year old son, calm his fears and hold him tight.  And that...is priceless!

Never Grow Up audio and lyrics