Recent Conversations With Sydney!

Sunday, we decided to go to the Orange County Fair. I hadn't been since I was a kid and it wasn't what I remembered, but was fun nonetheless. Driving down a dirt road of Montpelier (Tom was at the wheel), the conversation began:

Sydney: Grandpa, why are you driving so slow? Is it because you don't want to have an accident?

Grandpa: Uh-huh, yeah, whatever.

Sydney: Mom, Grandpa is driving slow so we won't have an accident right?

Mom: That's right. There are lots of people around and we are on a gravel road.

Sydney: Oh. Yeah, we don't want to have an accident, right?

Mom: Right.

A few moments of silence.

Sydney: No accidents. I'm keeping my underwear dry, mom. Are you?

Mom: (Laughing) Yes, honey. I'm keeping my underwear dry.

Sydney: Grandpa is driving slow so we won't have an accident and he'll keep his underwear dry too.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Last night, I was getting Syd ready for bed. She's been getting out of the bed a lot these days and coming up with every excuse in the book to drag out the night time process. We're trying desperately to get her out of this. Generally, we attempt to take things away, but it had been fairly unsuccessful, until now. She had a few items that we threaten to take away and she'll seriously contemplate whether she should go further or not. For example, her Dora "pack pack," Playdo, or her LiteBright. Since we paid for her to do Summer camp this year, we've threatened to take "Splash Days" away, but haven't had to go that far yet.

Last night, she'd already lost her "pack pack" at dinner for being a sassy-pants and I just knew she was gearing up to start her nightly ritual of hopping in and out of the bed. So, while dressing her, we had a chat:

Mom: Now, Sydney, it is late. In fact, it is a half hour past your bedtime. Tonight, we need to stay in the bed after we kiss goodnight, right?

Sydney: Right. I'm going to stay in the bed. (I should mention I hear this every night.)

Mom: I'm serious, Sydney. Very serious. If you get out of this bed, even once, I'm taking Splash Day tomorrow. Understand?

Sydney: Yes.

Mom: I mean it. Now, what is going to happen if you get out of the bed?

Sydney: I will not go to Splash Day once.

Mom: Right. If you get out of this bed, even once, there will be no Splash Day tomorrow. Okay?

Sydney: Okay.

Mom: Now, give me hugs and kisses. (I lean in to hug her.)

Sydney: So, I will not get out of the bed. Right?

Mom: Right?

Sydney: But, I can get out of the bed after you're in bed. Right?

(I'm smiling at this point because I know she is referring to the fact that she comes and climbs in the bed with us in the middle of the night. She wants to make sure she's not going to lose Splash Day for that. So funny she is trying to evaluate the level of risk. )

Mom: (Smiling) You're silly. No, you won't lose Splash Day for that. I love you (kisses). Night Night. (I start to walk away.)

Sydney: (She jumps out of bed and runs to the edge, careful not to get down.) I want another hug.

Mom: (Of course, I'm a sucker for hugs.) Okay. (I meet her at the edge of her bed.)

Sydney: (So grown up) I love ya, Mom.

Mom: I love you too, Sweetie.

Sydney: I love ya A LOT.

Mom: I love you A LOT!

And so it went for another few minutes. I tucked her in one last time, turned off her light and left the room. Sydney did NOT follow last night. She stayed in bed, until the middle of the night. I used to make a big deal about her going in her own room in the middle of the night. Not anymore. I don't care. I'd rather snuggle with her while she'll have me. If she isn't kicking the crap out of me, I'm fine. We know all too well that, before we know it, she'll not want to snuggle with us. It is just part of growing up, but for now, we'll pretend that day will never come. :)