Family Matters, Week of 3-5-06

Every Wednesday I write about my family. Welcome to it.

Annie (3yr old wunderchild)

Annie has basically solidified her place at the foot of our bed. Every evening around 3 or 4am, a bedroom door will creak open and she will sneak into our room and crawl into the space between mom and dad’s legs.

Part of me wonders whether I should try to curb this behavior. It’s been pretty consistent now for a few weeks. Last night I tried to take a stand. It went about as well as could be expected. I was very tired and Annie was screaming and crying and about to wake up her sister.

I put her back in her bed and she was crying and telling me she was scared. I asked her why she was scared and she told me the ‘monster book’, a recent purchase the girls really love but still sorta freaks em out. Case in point. Last night as they went to bed, Annie came back out and told me she was afraid of the book so I took it into the living room.

“Annie, baby, it’s late and it’s time for sleep.”

“Daddy can I please—sob—please sleep in your and mommy’s bed?”

I wiped a tear from her cheek. What sort of dad am I, anyway?

The kind that would rather have memories of waking up with his daughter in the bed in the morning as he goes to work than memories of her crying late at night asking me to do something I won’t because I think it’s ‘right’.

So coddling or no, I finally relented and she went to sleep in our bed soon after. The reasons to me were she’ll never be this little again and one day you’ll probably wish you had relented. So I simply made “one day” that day.

Abby (2yrs)

Abby has officially figured out she’s not bound by crib bars when bedtime comes around. Sure she’s using a big girl bed, but now she’s using her newfound freedom to maneuver her way around the bedroom after they’ve went to sleep.

Last night I heard Annie asking Abby to leave her alone and go to sleep. Oh the irony!

Otherwise, she’s getting very good at language, asking specifically for books to be read (by title that is) and she loves the idea of Eskimo kisses (rubbing noses). She gives them all the time.

Ericka (her myspace)

Ericka has, as usual, done a fantastic job at keeping up the housewifely duties. Unfortunately for her, the fondant class she was going to be taking has been postponed until next month. Bummer.

Otherwise, she’s gotten some new clothes and shoes and they look great. It was nice to see the Tax Return (yes, capitalized) brought plenty of good geeky gifts for me and fashion for my wife.

Meanwhile, how’s my wallet looking? Not so great. Goodbye Tax Return, we hardly knew ye. But my creditors? Oh, they’re happy as all get out.

Until tomorrow…

Medals on a wooden mantle. Next to a handsome face.
That the president took for granted. Writing checks that others pay.