Bed Bugs

For what feels like forever I have been trying to get the boys to sleep in their own beds. We’ve decorated their rooms to be inviting with their favorite things. Bought nifty night lights. Big Brother’s grandma bought him a loft bed for big kid for his fifth birthday. Tota Boy took him to pick out a mattress for that big boy bed and then for a week we fought to get him to fall asleep in there. Then once Big Brother was asleep I sneak off to sleep. A few hours later I wake up in my own bed only to find myself squished between Big Brother and Little Brother. Little Brother started crawling and climbing his way out of his crib at about seven or eight months. He had to be held or I should say still must have a parent’s hand on him all night every night or he wakes up and cries bloody murder! Now Big Brother is six and goes to bed in his own room but still manages to crawl in our bed most nights. He is sneaky and tries to lie at the foot of the bed so that we don’t notice until morning. Little Brother has been putting up quite the fight to stay with mommy and daddy. For the last few weeks I have been putting him in his room to fall asleep but his cries really tug at his dad’s heart strings and he leaves his room. I have tried laying in his room until he goes to sleep, but Little Brother simply waits and hour or more for me to fall asleep and then runs for the door! By the time I hear his little feet and jump up he is already half way to mommy and daddy’s room where daddy greets him with open arms. I of course am the mean one in the house no matter what. The number of successful times Little Brother has slept in his own room can be counted on one hand. Big Brother on the other hand will sleep alone but has the best excuses for why he can’t sleep in his room and they are, “It’s scary in there.” “The moon is too bright from my side of the house it keeps me up” “The woods outside my window make noises” “It’s winter and the coldest room is that room!”, The skidoos keep me up with their lights and vrooming mom!” and my personal favorite, “How come you don’t love me so much anymore! Why can’t I just sleep with you I’m skinny I only take up a sliver!” Little Brother being the fighter of the family makes the bedtime routine impossible when I try to make him sleep in his own bed. The crying starts before the lights even go out. He wants to hug his way to slumber. Pats on the back being the last thing he feels as he closes his eyes. Putting a sleeping baby into another room after he had taken in the surroundings of your room has proved to induce heartbreaking screams an hour later. Tonight both kids gave me a fight. Little Brother came out of his room repeatedly for an hour before pointing to his brother’s room. Big Brother runs out of his room when he hears that. I asked Big Brother if it was ok for Little Brother to bunk in there with him. I got the two of them snuggled in their own blankets and didn’t even make it halfway down the hallway before Little Brother cried for me. Eventually Big Brother got his dad to keep him company while Little Brother cuddled up to me. I am sitting on the couch writing this and Little Brother is sound asleep next to me with his little hand hanging tightly onto my shirt. I guess he’s my little bed bug tonight. No matter how many hugs or stories they beg to sleep in their parent’s bed...Guess I should be thankful they don’t bite, Our Little Bed Bugs.