Twenty Things
Cai has this thing he does when he’s going to sleep, or supposed to be going to sleep. He calls and calls, like any kid his age. But if I take to long to come in, his little mind has been working over time and he says, “Mama I have two things to tell you” or “Mama, I have three things to tell you.” So today I was in the back room and he must’ve been calling for awhile because when I walked in he said, “Mama, I have twenty things to tell you.” I leaned against the door expecting to be there for awhile and said, “Ok, go.”
“Ok,” he said taking a deep breath. “I have to tell you first that I love this room.” (He’s sleeping on the floor of our bedroom cause work’s being done to his). “Then I need to tell you that I love this bed and I have to poo and I have to pee.” He stops and looks at me expectantly.
“Go on.” I say listening patiently (oh so patiently). For nothing other than dramatic purposes here he rolls his eyes as if thinking very hard, takes a deep breath and smacks his lip for emphasis.
“Ok, then I have to tell you I have to go to the potty and then I’ll go back to bed for twenty of those minutes and then I will get up and be done with my nap if I clean the livingroom and then I get a sticker, deal?” “Deal." I agree, but I don't really know what I’ve just agreed to. So with this he seems satisfied and leaps from bed to the bathroom. A moment later, on the toilet, he agrees to be very quiet so as not to wake his brother. Cai does quite a bit of pontificating on the toilet as well. Sometimes it’s loud and involves singing and howling. Right now he’s limiting himself to quiet giggles. I’m sure I don’t want to know what he’s laughing at. I'm sure he'll tell me when I'm called back in.
“Ok,” he said taking a deep breath. “I have to tell you first that I love this room.” (He’s sleeping on the floor of our bedroom cause work’s being done to his). “Then I need to tell you that I love this bed and I have to poo and I have to pee.” He stops and looks at me expectantly.
“Go on.” I say listening patiently (oh so patiently). For nothing other than dramatic purposes here he rolls his eyes as if thinking very hard, takes a deep breath and smacks his lip for emphasis.
“Ok, then I have to tell you I have to go to the potty and then I’ll go back to bed for twenty of those minutes and then I will get up and be done with my nap if I clean the livingroom and then I get a sticker, deal?” “Deal." I agree, but I don't really know what I’ve just agreed to. So with this he seems satisfied and leaps from bed to the bathroom. A moment later, on the toilet, he agrees to be very quiet so as not to wake his brother. Cai does quite a bit of pontificating on the toilet as well. Sometimes it’s loud and involves singing and howling. Right now he’s limiting himself to quiet giggles. I’m sure I don’t want to know what he’s laughing at. I'm sure he'll tell me when I'm called back in.
