Night Moves

Some nights, when we put J.P. to bed, he falls asleep almost immediately.  Other nights - like tonight - he talks and talks and talks.  To us.  To himself.  To his stuffed animals.  Occasionally, he talks for an hour or so before he finally falls asleep.

On bath nights, Jude gives J.P. a bath, then the three of us cuddle for a few minutes on the bed.  I take him into his room and put on his lotion, then his pajamas.  Next, Jude or I read a couple of books to him.  If Jude reads to him, they sit together in the glider in his room.  If I read to him, he lays between Jude and me on the bed in our room.  When we finish, he hugs Jude and I take him into his bathroom to brush his teeth. Then, we get his blanket and sit in the glider and talk about his day.  Just before I put him in his bed, he always asks me to sing the "Shaq Time" song (a version of the Bare Naked Ladies' song, Snacktime), complete with the nonsensical lyrics I've made up and the different imitations I do (Ernie, Oscar the Grouch, Pee Wee Herman, Fat Albert, etc.).

After I put him in bed, he picks out one stuffed animal in his crib to sleep with - Ernie, Ozzie, Gnash, Bunny, Elmo, Elf on a Shelf, Maurice, etc.).  Life's about choices, after all.  I cover him up with his blanket, tell him goodnight, then leave his room.  Within a minute or two, J.P. calls out to Jude - "Mama, come cover me up one last time!"  Another favorite of his is "Daddy, I've got a 'snuffy.'  I need to blow my nose."  Or, "Daddy, my diaper is wet."

When he has exhausted all of his tricks to get Jude or me to walk back into his room, he initiates a running dialogue with us, notwithstanding the fact we're in different rooms.  Typically, it goes something like this:

(J.P.)  Good night, Mama.

(Jude)  Good night, J.P.

(J.P.)  Good night, Dada.

(PRN)  Good night, J.P.

(J.P.)  What are you doing, Mama?

(Jude)  I'm in the big bed, J.P., reading.  Good night.

(J.P.)  Dada, what are you doing?  Are you going downstairs?

(PRN)  Yes, I am, J.P.  Good night, buddy.

(J.P.)  What are you doing now, Mama?

(Jude)  I'm in bed, J.P.  Time to stop talking.  Good night.

(J.P.)  I'm stopping talking now, Mama.  You stop talking.

(Jude)  Close your eyes, J.P.  Good night.

(J.P.)  I'm closing my eyes, Mama.  Stop talking.

And so it goes.  On and on.  Finally, after a while, J.P. starts talking to himself or singing.  That's when we know he's about to fall asleep.  It's pretty funny, actually, and we have a hard time not laughing out loud as he talks to us from his room.