The One with the Lamp

Let's face it. Tigger hates sleeping. Sleep is the worst kind of torture for him. For many hours he must lay still with his eyes shut and the world is still going on. He must stop playing/running/driving his car/screaming/singing or whatever he's doing at that moment and go to bed. Duuuh boring. He has no time for it. So we fight. Classic conflict of interests. Luckily I still have something to say here. He's not too happy about it. 

Last evening we decided it's time for a big boy bed. We already removed one sidebar from his cot so got used to it but last night was the final step. My boys got to work. Tigger helping pulling out the screws and putting them back. He was so excited. 

Once he was sound asleep I stayed there, in his room, watching him and my heart hurt a bit. My baby boy is growing up. I couldn't believe how big he was.

So who should be asleep?

Obviously Mummy is more comfortable than my bed

Today I decided to give him a bit of independence. Something about the sleeping part he could control - the lamp. I had this little lamp without a shade. So I made one out of thick paper. I didn't want it to give too much light and I wanted it to look cool.

He had so much fun with it. He choose the spot for it (sorry Dog), I placed the switch on the edge of his bed so it's easily accessible and the fun began. He switched it on and off for very very long. Then he discovered that the fluorescent moon on the ceiling disappears when the light is on but appears again once it's off. Finally he got so tired that it was impossible for him to fall asleep. He needed my help so we did it the way we used to do. I rocked him in my arms, close to my heart. Once he fell sleep I held him for minutes, watching his peaceful face and listening to his rhythmic breath and feeling his heartbeat on my chest. My arm got numb (he's not that tiny baby anymore) but I couldn't bring myself to put him back to his bed. How much longer before he doesn't need me anymore? Before I stop being the best, the more important, the only remedy for every scratch and bump?