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When I became a parent, no one ever explained to me the complexities of the toddler mind. I suppose attempting to explain the thought processes of a two-year-old is illogical, since few of us can actually recall that time in our lives. The toddler stage is one that each parent has to experience for themselves, and other than the "terrible twos," I had no idea what to expect.
In the past, I've written about my son's transition to the toddler bed. Six weeks later, I think we have overcome that obstacle. Like most things with young children, there is a ritual and precise rhythm that must be kept in order for bedtime to flow smoothly.
At one time my son was content with one lovey -- his black doggie -- but over time, his collection of sleep essentials has grown. He is now accompanied to bed by black doggie, little doggie, new doggie and giraffe. Rabbit is also part of the crowd, but he doesn't have the privilege of sleeping in the bed. He resides on the floor beside the bed and, like the words written on his chest, "He watches over all." This entire cast of characters must be in attendance at bedtime, otherwise my son will pitch a fit until everyone is properly assembled. If one animal is missing, the house is turned topsy-turvy to find it, but thankfully my son usually has a good handle on where his "friends" are hanging out.
In addition to the plush toys, my son has a nightlight. For a long time he was not bothered by darkness; nightlights were more for my benefit during late-night feedings and wake-up calls. Now, nightlights are essential, and my son has the grand Poobah of nightlights, a miniature Christmas tree that is illuminated in his room year 'round. A year and a half ago, I thought placing the mini-tree in his room would be cute, but now it is vital to a good night sleep. I shudder to think how much electricity that thing is pulling; it is one of those pre-lit trees that are quite pretty but surely cannot good for energy conservation.
With everything intact, most nights around here are uneventful. Occasionally my son will wake up in the middle of the night, drift into whatever room I am in and lie down on my chest. I usually let him fall asleep and then gently place him back in his bed. In the morning, I am awakened by his little voice singing "Mommmeee," and he greets me with a hug and kiss. Morning times are cuddle time, and he runs to his room and gathers all of his friends, deposits them in my bed, and we all snuggle nicely. My son retrieves his favorite books from his room, and we spend the early hours of the day reading stories while enjoying the early rays of sunshine.
The plush toy menagerie is welcome in my bed every morning. I know the time for snuggling and sharing these types of memories is fleeting. (My son is pretending black doggie is licking my cheek as I type. I'll end this post the way I began -- I don't understand the mind of a two-year-old, but I certainly enjoy it!
For more tales of toddlerhood read:
Renee is a BlogHer contributing editor and writes her personal blog, Cutie Booty Cakes.
