Seven is a Lucky Number

We are slowly getting back into our routine after being away for a few days. Attempting to get Bea in her toddler bed and stay there has been quite the challenge. Funny how she completely crashed out on Sunday night, but now that she realized where she is, she's playing it up like you wouldn't believe in not wanting to go to bed.

Last night Josh put her to bed while she was still tired. I guess she wasn't tired enough. About 5 minutes later, I heard noise coming from her room. She was sitting on the floor playing with one of her toys. Me being the big meanie and all, I took it away and walked her back to bed. She layed down and I left.

Not more than two minutes after that, I heard footsteps. She came walking to where I was sitting and said, "Moo Moo night-night?" I told her that Moo Moo had gone to bed and it was time for her to do that as well. I walked her back to bed. She crawled in without hesitation.

About two minutes after that, I hear footsteps again. "Hi," she says. I didn't say anything. I made her about-face and marched her back to bed. She stood up in her bed and started jumping. I made her lay down. "Bow wow?" I handed it to her. I left.

About a minute later, she comes out again and just looks at me. "Night-night," I said and walked her back to bed. She stands up and starts grabbing each and every stuffy in her bed and starts throwing them over the side of her crib (there is a gap between the toddler bed and the wall). "Uh-oh, Bow Wow." "Uh-oh, Bow Wow." "Uh-oh." "Uh-oh." Then she is looking at me like I better retrieve those suckers. I said, "Oh well. Night-night." I reached down and grabbed one and gave it to her and that made her happy. I left.

I'm hearing some wrestling around in the room so I know she is getting close to falling asleep...so I think.

She came out two more times and the same situation(s) replayed. One time I really wanted to laugh or smile just because she was being her sweet self. One time when I took her back to bed she started counting (DID I MENTION SHE CAN COUNT TO THREE???). "One. Two. Twee." Such a sweet little voice. She did it about five times in a row.

So, the last time she comes out I think this is going to continue all night so I resort to the buh-buh. "You want some buh-buh, Bea?" She shakes her head yes. Then she literally RUNS to her bed, climbs up in there all excited. I give it to her and lay there with her for about five minutes. She is just staring into my eyes, and I start to cry. She is so sweet and as I look at her, I am thinking about how big she has gotten but how she is still a baby. I was thinking about her getting older, being a teenager. How different things will be. I am sure they will be easy and hard in a much different way, but for right now, I am just trying to enjoy my time with her because I know she is going to grow up so fast. Is it so wrong that I want her to stay little and innocent?

And then she rolls over and goes to sleep.