Bedtime for Crazies

Joel Husband is in Canada again, has been all week.  So its me and the kids again.  I am totally used to it by now and actually do not mind when he goes away. I watch tv that he will not, and the boys and I order in food (good kind, like Las Olas and the thai food place, not pizza or chinese)... Good times are had by most.

I go to put James to bed tonight, and he is into this new routine, to hold up bedtime, that consists entirely of kisses, hugs and squeezes.  This is the sort of thing that slightly annoys me now, but when I am 90, in the home, suffering from Alzheimer's (gonna happen, in my genes, and lord help me that I even make it that long) - anyway, I will be reading these notes from this blog (why else do you think I am writing this?) - and I will say - how could that have ever angered me?  I would kill for one hug, one squeeze, one kiss from my now 58 year old child (my child will only be 58 when I am 90?  Now I feel old, and this was the perfect thing to make me stop having children..!) I say this because Joel husband's GRANDFATHER is in his 80s and Joel's parents are in their 60s... What the hey?

Ok, back to the story.  I go to put James to bed.  He had some train time, I had some folding laundry time.  Joel Andrew had some quiet "planes" time downstairs. All was set until I broke the news to James that it was bedtime.  All hell and screaming and crying broke loose.  He finally settles into his rickety crib.  (Although his big boy bed is in his room, he has not progressed in potty training, totally my fault as potty training does not fit in with our travel and holiday schedule right now - so he is still in his crib, which is falling apart, though it is made into a toddler bed, give us some credit).   

He cries and then proclaims: "I'm just give you a squeeze Mommy."  I get a squeeze.  I go to leave.  "I'm just give you a kiss Mommy."  This proceeds for 10 more tries at the kiss.  I'm sure he will enjoy hearing someday that he insisted on giving me kiss after kiss, on the lips, until we got it right.  Whatever snotty disease he now has will be coming in a few days to me as well.  Supposedly, I was not giving a loud enough kiss the first time.  Then it continues that it was not good for various reasons.  Fast forward 5 minutes later to me covered in toddler/pre-k spit.  I exclaim it is time for Mommy to leave. James pleads for Angus (our french bulldog) to stay.

Ok, no problem, awesome idea!.

I go downstairs and hang with Joel, then it is Joel's turn to bed.  Not even two seconds up there and James comes out of his room yelling: "Angus is smelly.  Angus. No Room (pronounced Ruum.)" I am so glad someone else in the family knows that snuggling with Angus at night means disgusting smells and crampt quarters.  But, James only lasted 5 minutes with him.  I tried to pawn Angus off on Joel, but no-go there for sure.  Joel is way too smart.  James goes back, Angus is messing up my couch, and Joel Andrew is in Pjs, all is settled.

Joel is an old hat at the bedtime experience.  He goes in. I lay all my weight on him in a hug and he exclaims after a second: "That's it, that's enough" and then gives me a big kiss, and he goes to sleep.  Love these guys.

Here's to dreaming for a new fun day.