It Was Time

We converted Alexander's crib into a "toddler bed" on Monday. We felt compelled to finally make the change after our little monkey boy fell out of his crib last week. (Somehow he didn't get hurt, though. When I opened his door he was standing by his crib with a big smile — probably found it fun.) I believe he's rolled out of his newly converted bed twice, once the first night and once last night. No getting hurt, but after a little cry and us rushing to his aid and putting him back in bed, he's good for the rest of the night. During at least two or three of his nap times since the conversion, he has elected to crawl out of bed and play (yesterday and today for sure; can't remember past that). I've gone in repeatedly and put him back in his bed but at some point each day I have just had to stop because my threshold has been reached. Mikel can try his hand at keeping him in bed over the weekend when he's home.

Today was Anna's first full day of school (a full day for her is only three hours). I spoke with one of Anna's teachers when I picked her up and she reported that Anna is doing very well with other children and interacting with the teachers. She used the potty today at school. She asked one of the teachers: "Where's Mrs. Jewett?" She was told she was putting on her shoes. When that other teacher appeared, apparently Anna had an excited look on her face and exclaimed: "There she is!"

Here are a couple photos of my three kids enjoying the new daybed-like setup. (I also had to include a funny one of Shreve acting like a bucking bronco. I actually caught him in mid jump off the bed.)

Speaking of sleeping, here's a little tidbit:

• Anna and Alexander have different little nighttime rituals at the moment, now that they have their own rooms. Sometimes I read Alexander a book. (I need to start doing this every night.) But the very last thing is to sing Rock-A-Bye Baby. Sometimes I cradle him in my arms when I sing it. Sometimes, I’m leaning over him and lightly rubbing his chest and he looks up at me while sucking on his binky. Lately, he’s gotten to where he actually requests the song, saying “Rock Ah Baby.” It’s so darn cute! Sometimes after singing it once or twice he’ll request “More.” Also, as I close his door he repeatedly says “Night night! Night night! Night night.” He’ll continue saying this through the closed door if he’s still awake and hears Mikel or myself walking past his door. Anna’s nighttime ritual includes two for-sure things: a story and having the door cracked. She always wants a “Night-Night Book” read to her, asking for it usually before she even puts on her nightgown. After we read the book, she says something about “Anna second read,” meaning she wants to make one last passthrough of the book herself, pointing out what’s going on on different pages. Then she wants to put the book back in her closet herself (right now all their bedroom toys/distractions get put in their closet when it’s time to sleep.) Mikel and I got smart to her, though. She usually first tries to slide the book under the closet so that it continues to stick out just enough for her to go back and retrieve it later (instead of sleeping). If it’s too thick than darnit she has to open the door and fully put the book on the closet shelf, meaning there is not hope for a secret rendezvous. (But now that we’ve wised up, all books will be completely put away.) Anyway, among her many books, Anna has several books she seems to continue to choose at the end of the day, among them “Good Night, Gorilla,” and “Five Little Monkeys.” For a while it was the cutest, “Good Night, Moon.” But most any book will satisfy her. By the way, some books are kind of crud, aren’t they? The children each get a free book mailed to them monthly through a reading program I signed up for. There is this one book with real photographs, not drawings, that shows a little boy pulling a dog’s tail, two boys having a pillow fight with lamps overturned and the room pretty much in total disarray, etc. Mikel’s gotten to where he saying only the classics, such as Dr. Seuss, are in the future. After putting her book away, Anna will reluctantly climb into bed and say, “Door Cracked?” She’s been doing this for over a month or so, now. I don’t know if she’s afraid of the dark or what. She hasn’t really cried about it but maybe it makes her feel more comfortable to see a bit of light coming through. We have obliged and several weeks ago finally gave her a nightlight. She was very pleased about this!