Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Five Years With This Guy





Dear L,

I’m so glad you’re five. You are fun in all your fiveness. Like last week when Mamaw came from Kentucky. You took all the things Daddy and I have taught you and summed it up with two questions. "Mamaw, Do you have a “p” (male private part) and what did you bring me?" I guess these are important things to know as soon as company walks in the door. For a second I wondererd, "What must Mom think of our parenting skills?". Then I remembered catching my own mother sneaking behind the clothes line to smoke. To this day I can't look at a clothes line without tearing up.

This month you discovered art projects. Everyone is happy to hear this and has showered you with glue, scissors, tape, coloring books, paint, and best of all… velvet art. I love my velvet “Lions Pride” piece you made. Especially the pink furry cotton ball you added for just a hint of “whimsy”. You are so in love with your art supplies. Especially the tape dispenser. I still check on you every night while you sleep. You tend to get all uncovered and have not yet gained the skill of covering your own self back up. So, as I was rearranging your vast array of stolen pillows and blankets- (quit taking my pillow!)- I found your new tape dispenser.

Another strange habit you have is that you refuse to wear pajamas to bed. It’s only day clothes for you. I think it’s because you refuse to “commit” yourself to the laws of nature. You deny that you actually need sleep for survival. Its like you say, “Hey sleep, how you like these street clothes? Why do I need to get comfortable? I’m not doing anything- especially anything like… SLEEPING”.

We have kept your bedtime early, even though other kids your age go to bed later. Because this is the one and only time of day that you will play independently. L, everyone needs a little alone time. Right now you think you’ve pulled one over on Mom and Pop. You think you are so cool “getting away” with making sure you don’t sleep on command. But guess what little man… that’s part of our evil plan. We want you to play alone in your bed. Because then you go to sleep later which means… you sleep later in the morning. Which means I get to enjoy my iced Dr. Pepper in a little peace, if only for a moment. See… we are smart. Smarter than you and we are the boss of you.

Happy five baby boy… we love you.

3 comments:

Baby McLaughlin said...

This is so great... thanks for emailing me the link! Oh, wait, I think I have those shoes... um, never mind.

Jaena said...

awwwww...I can totally relate to so much in your post:

Art supplies and tape are "gold" to E.

He actually tells me that he doesn't sleep (naps, bed, whatever); he was really awake or maybe pretending to sleep.

We still check and cover him up at night for the same reason. And there are pillows all around him; otherwise I seriously think he would fall right out of bed!

Great post. Our "babies" are growing up!

christina grandstaff said...

Is anyone paying you for this blog yet? They should. You are a gem.