"i'm sorry... will you JUST get to bed?"

We have a 5 year old at OUR house...
He's trying to joing the Polite Police Squad..
He's on the "honesty Patrol" though..
we seriously QUESTION his honesty
He desires to "confer with me" on GREAT many things,
bordering on tatteling..
HE is definately VERY FIVE...
and he NEEDS to just go to bed..

We start the process at.. about 7:30
on a good night..
8:15 on a rough one...
and yet still,
it seems NOT to matter WHEN I begin
the painstaking process..
nor HOW many bedtime stories are read
or how nice the epsom salt bath was..
no nothing at all seems to matter...
the child will NOT fall asleep before 10:30 on a good night
11 on a rough one...
There is always ONE more thing He forgot to pray for..
One more glass of water he must drink, for he might dehydrate
(yes.. HE uses this language!)
One more kiss-e needed
ONE more Hug Mama MUST have
One more hug-e he needs desperately
One more worry needs be put to rest
One more boo boo need kissing
One more story I need to hear
One more question
One more something... or other
and always with joy,
even through a few tears there is this
glimmer of JOY at having me ONE more moment
This blessing is BURSTING with a wellspring of LIFE and Energy

He gets up in middle of the night
He prowls around
making messes
playing with his trucks
and crawls back into bed..
But the SECOND half of the night is in
MY bed ....
foot on MY face
till I remove him or..
roll him over to the other part of the BIG bed...

We had a Queen till Buddy became mobile...
then we upgraded..
Please take a moment to process that..
Caspian is 13...
yes...
This is a TOTALLY different child indeed..

So back to the nightly adventures..
ONE would think..
"JUST wake him EARLY..."
Well... HE's up with the Roosters friends
bouncing on the bed
with his very own version of
"good morning vietnam"
minus the vietnam...

This kid is ENERGY in motion...
but when tired,
EVEN when there is company present...
He quietly removes himself and puts HIMSELF to bed!?????

When he is sleepy
HE just curls up and takes a nap..
I look at that darling dream child,
as he sleeps like an angel boy...
and think...

WHEN DO I GET A NAP????
so it is.... 10:13pm
on a Tuesday night...
and he has come down for the *#$(&#*)th time....
what's THAT?
you wonder
*#$(&#*) is  the lengthy symbol for I HAVE lost count
and all I have to say....
and I am dear reader using all my God given
Adult restraint to say it
is...
"BUDDY I LOVE YOU... and I'm SORRY, but ... WILL you JUST get to BED... " smile and give very angry eyes..
smile again..
angry eyes...
and when he gives that look
a stern "NOW!!!!!!!"
pitter patter of feet and a happy
VERY happy
all too happy, sort of sing song responce comes
BACK at me...
"KAY, I love you Mama!!"

Buddy is so cute..
and so exhausting...
Lord give me strength to perservere!
Cuz you sure have given me Love