… and boy, do we have one kid who knows how to take advantage of that. So I wasn’t surprised when Sutton showed up at my bedside at 3:03am this morning. Who knows how long she’d been standing there, because she does this a lot, and like the possessed woman in Paranormal Activity, she just stands there perfectly still and quiet until the force of her gaze bearing down on me shudders me awake.
Despite the fact that she’s been hovering there for who knows how long, she never has much to say when I do wake up. She usually shuffles back and forth, drops her head and asks with the sweetest little face you’ve ever seen, “Daddy, will you tuck me in again?”
“NO!” I shout… sometimes.
She knows she’s not supposed to get out of bed, and she’s definitely not supposed to wake me up at 3:03am, so we have a strict no re-tuck policy, which she nonetheless tests every chance she gets. Sometimes I’m too tired for the fight, so I cave.
Like I said, though, this time is special, because we sent her to bed with a fever and a lung-busting category 5 cough. Honestly, I’m surprised she made it that late before wandering down the hall, even more surprised that this time she had a good reason for getting out of bed.
“I’m wet,” she announces, matter-of-factly. I feel her pants and sure enough, she peed through her pull-up.
I drag myself out from under the loving warmth of my winter blankets and dig out a new pair of pants and a dry pull-up for her. “There you go,” I say, and I give her a gentle pat on her tush to signify, “G’bye!”.
“No, Daddy,” she replies. “Tuck me in.”
Of course.
I walk her back to the bedroom she shares with her brother. He’s sick, too, so I really don’t want to wake him up. “Climb in, and I’ll tuck you,” I whisper.
“Where’s Mrs. Bunny?” she shouts. I shush her. Miraculously, Bennett sleeps through her outburst.
“Quiet,” I remind her. “Bennett’s sleeping.” I start feeling around in the dark for her beloved bunny-headed blankie, who she can’t sleep without. It’s not easy to find her, because there are at least six dozen plush toys on her bed at any given time. I pick up Miss Piggy. Nope. Then Punaniñas, this weird pink leopard-skinned hamster-like creature who’s been her absolute favorite for about the last two days. Nope. Then Mrs. O’Bunny, the green bunny I brought her back from Ireland. Nope.
Finally, I find Mrs. B in the crack between the bed and the wall. I’m pretty sure this is how Indiana Jones felt when he placed his hands on the Holy Grail. Sigh. “Here you go. C’mon, I’ll tuck you in.”
“No, Daddy,” she says. “The sheets are wet!”
“The sheets aren’t wet, Honey. They’re –” I feel the sheets. The sheets are wet. Sigh. “Okay, I’ll get you a new blanket.”
I grab a blanket from her bedside. It’s covering up another six dozen or so plush toys who wouldn’t fit in her bed, so she’s created this odd co-sleeping arrangement for them instead. “No, Daddy,” she says. “I want Tiana!”
Sigh.
I grab a flashlight and search through the linen closet for the Tiana blanket, stunned that Bennett has somehow slept through all of this.
A minute later, I’m back, and she’s waiting patiently at her bedside, enjoying this late-night edition of “The Daddy Show” she’s quietly scripting as she goes along. She waits until I have the blanket positioned and tucked before she adds, “Daddy… The bottom sheet, too.”
She’s sick, I tell myself. The rules are different when your kid is sick. “I’ll be right back,” I say. I grab the flashlight again.
The next thing I know, I’ve stripped the entire bed, taken out the mattress in order to get the fitted sheet on, and now I’m on my hands and knees, painstakingly tucking the corners of the top sheet.
This is it, I decide. This is the last demand I give into. I don’t care if she’s sick or not. I just want to go back to sleep. That’s when I hear her voice again.
“Daddy?” she whispers.
I try to ignore her, but she says it again, more urgently this time. “Daddy!”
“Yes, Sweetie?”
“You’re doing a really good job.”
That’s when I give her a big hug and a kiss and tuck her in two times, as requested. “Good night, Honey,” I whisper in her ear. “Feel better.”
jerry-mahoney.com 
Aww! I really hope they’re both better soon, I’m writing this while lying on the pull out bed in my little guys room (it’s 8.30pm here) as he also has a bad cough, the kind that makes you puke and I just don’t have the energy or strength to leave him to it right now lol.
Aw, I hope he feels better soon, too. I try to look on the bright side: sick kids give the best snuggles. 🙂
Thanks and very true! 🙂
I had a very similar night… but I let my coughing sick, nightmare having son snuggle into bed with me for the night… and gave up another night of rest to the gods of childhood colds. Hope she and Bennett are on the mend!
Middle of the night bed changing… So glad we’re past that. Hope your kidlets are better soon xo
Just goes to show that every opportunity, even those at 3:03 a.m., are opportunities to make lasting memories. What a sweet little girl. You guys are doing such a fantastic job!
Sooo sweet! Get well soon.
That might be the first recorded incident of a kid telling their parent they’re doing a good job. How nice is that!
Been there, done that! I had to smile when I saw the picture of the bunny headed blanket. My daughter has the same one, she got it when she was little. She’ s almost twelve now; we still have it!
It makes me so happy to hear that. I’m so attached to Mrs. Bunny. I don’t want to see her toss her aside someday. 🙂
Awe! Hope they both get well soon!
The rules are different when you’re a kid, period. Great post.
Good point – thanks!
Ahhh…you are doing a GREAT job. Hope everyone is better soon!
A Get well soon to both your little pumpkins!! It’s hard when they are sick, soaks all the patience out of you, just hug them up & they will be in the pink in no time.
I remember those days all to well…I thought I would never see sleep again.
But kids are so resilient and bounce back faster than adults!! Keep up the great work!
My holiday is going to be spent recouping my 18 yr old son from shoulder surgery from a sports injury……boo-boo’s are not fun at any age…
Oh no — here’s to a speedy recovery for your son, too. My kids are feeling better now — finally. 🙂
I laughed out loud at the Paranormal Activity reference- my son does the same thing, he’s 12 now and still turns up on occasions. He scares the living daylights out of me every time 🙂 Hope Sutton feels better soon so that you can get some sleep….
Ha — it’s pretty freaky, isn’t it? Glad to hear I’m not the only one.
“You’re doing a really good job.” just brought a sheen of tears to my eyes- how sweet! And for what it’s worth, from how it sounds on this end of the computer screen, it’s apparent she’s right!
I have to say, the hardest part of twins (in my opinion) is bedtime/naptime just because of that lack of understanding that kids have when someone else is sleeping. Or, you know, crib parties. And when one wakes up and wants to be entertained by their built in bestie.
You hit the nail on the head. Sometimes I have to go in and lay some smack down when nap time becomes party time in the dark. Or if one wakes up first, they just want to go back in and wake up their buddy. Someday maybe they’ll have their own rooms, but for now, I like that they share and, difficult as it can be for me, they’re forced to learn some kind of cooperation.
I remember those middle of the night meetings with such fondness…..hope the kido’s feel better soon…
Awww! How nice of her to positively reinforce.
Hope she gets well very soon!
Absolutely cute and thoughtful observation ; )
(p.s. : I’ve just heard news about all X-men crew rushing to apply for parenthood missions)