The sweetest thing

All moms have those moments when they silently get misty eyed bc of something the kids have accomplished, or a milestone reached, or even just a day when you are thinking of your kiddos and how much you love them. The past few days there have been a few moments, amist the carnage (pictures to the left) the kids are leaving in their paths, when I have been misty eyed.

Ezra climbed out of his crib for the first time a few nights ago. I didn't know what to do. Yes, I have 2 older children, but they both slept with us until they were 3 or 4, or when they wanted extra bedtime hugs, or when they wanted to watch a movie in our room or, ok they still sleep with us sometimes. Actually they still sleep with me sometimes, they kick Dom out of the bed they are much older, bigger, and stronger now! Initially the only thing that came to mind was to get a cover for the crib. I was worried Ezra would hurt himself climbing around in a sleepy daze in the night light lit room with wooden toys strewn about every square inch of the floor. After talking with some of my friends I decided to go ahead and remove one of the side rails from his crib and just put a door knob cover on the inside of the boys' room.

This worked wonderfully. Ezra was upset when he discovered he could no longer get out of the bedroom but he only cried for 30 seconds and then began playing with some toys in his room. He fell asleep on the floor, not sure why. Once Luke saw Ezra's bed he was interested so today I took a rail from his bed as well. While Ezra likes his freedom, Luke just thought it was neat he could climb onto his bed alone. Luke climbs in his bed pulls his covers up and lays down, just like he did when I layed him in his crib. I lay Ezra on his bed, he gets down and pulls whatever toys I have put away down. Then I read the story until they fall asleep...well, until Luke (aka Pook) falls asleep. Ezra would stay up all night if I kept reading with the light on. So I grab my book light and turn off the overheads and he becomes still, eventually leaning on the train table with his eyelids becoming heavier each second, until I move him to the bed. I leave him there dreaming. I go to check on the girls and make sure they are taking showers when I make my way back by Ezra's and Luke's room I peer in. What do I see? I couldn't see much through my misty eyes but my camera saw this. I have to add, the boys haven't liked being in their cribs together since they were about 6 mths old. They would hit each other and it seemed to me they didn't want to be together so we bought a second crib for them then.

And so, a baby bedtime ritual comes to an end and the boys, all on their own, begin a new big boy bedtime ritual, together.