After we finished reading Mighty, Mighty Construction Site, I shut the light, and we meditated using the Headspace app. While guided meditation used to help Ari fall asleep, he’s gotten sillier during the wind-down exercises each night. Sometimes I notice his eyes are open while other nights I notice he isn’t laying on his back like the instructor suggests. Lately, Ari has been having one of his stuffies, Oreo (who really didn’t need to come to live with us — just sayin’.), sigh during the meditation. This evening, all three of those things happened.
Once the meditation finished, I said, “I’m going to ask you a question and I want you an honest answer. My feelings will not be hurt, no matter what you say. Okay? Will you be honest?”
“Yes,” Ari said peering back at me in the dim darkness.
“I’ve noticed you seem less focused during the guided meditations. Would you like to keep doing them or would you rather have extra snuggle time with Mommy?”
“Extra snuggle time,” he answered immediately.
“Really?” I asked since that wasn’t what I expected to hear.
“Really,” he replied. After a beat, Ari shoved one of his stuffies up to my face. “Guess who!” he said.
It was pretty dark. I couldn’t see whose nose was rubbing mine.
“Well, the nose is soft so it’s an animal from Team Soft Guy.” (Ari recently divided his animals into Team Hard Guy and Team Soft Guy to describe their noses.)
“Guess who it is!” Ari said stroking the animal’s fur against my face.
“Percy?” I asked.
“That’s right!”
This continued about three more times until I said, “How about I try two out on you and then we say good night.”
“No, ten!”
“We’re not doing this ten more times. It’s past your bedtime,” I replied.
“My bedtime is 9 p.m.”
“No, your bedtime is 8:30 p.m. and it’s 8:38 p.m. Three more and that’s it.”
“How about five more?”
“Three more. Final offer,” I said.
Ari quickly learned that it was hard to determine who was nuzzling his nose with his eyes closed! (Perhaps if he didn’t have 15 stuffies in his bed this would be easier, but that wasn’t the case.) He figured out one of the three… and then it was time for sleep.
Starting tomorrow night, we will take a break from Headspace after storytime. However, I have a feeling some version of this game will show up once we turn off the overhead light.
Raising Literate Humans 
Team Soft Guy and Team Hard Guy are the sweetest things I’ve heard in awhile! This is one of those moments that would be so easy to forget, and are precious to remember. The dialogue Carrie’s the story. But I confess, I want a few more details about the stuffies in the game!
I probably should’ve included a photo of all of them to help. Alas, it was late and I wrote quicker than I should’ve so I could get to the novel I’m reading.
You are such a responsive mom- balancing what you know Ari needs and wants with your own preferences. I love the twist on Guess Who. Your kids are so lucky that you capture so many of these small moments- imagine in the future compiling your slices about each one in a book they can have,
I love the idea of compiling these into a book when they get older. Thanks for making such a grand suggestion, Erika!
This was so heartwarming. When I came to the question, “Which would you prefer?” I was rooting for ‘more snuggles’. I don’t think anyone can get enough snuggle time. Love the Guess Who game, too! I remember these days…bedtime was always a chore getting my boys settled down for the night-I had to read a story, they wanted their own quiet reading time, and high energy had to calm down. I started at least a half hour before the lights out time. LOL It sounds like you are doing a great job-lots of love and patience with some nonnegotiable terms! 🙂
We, too, get started earlier than they have to go to sleep. And by earlier, I mean 75 minutes before lights-out!
This is such a sweet memory to hold onto! I love the picture.
I find myself treasuring these small moments more and more as Kindergarten gets closer and closer.
Stacey, I can relate to your bedtime ritual. Children love storytime, snuggly-time, and trying to get something extra. The only time I noticed that my grandgirls are fine with what they are being given is when they are more tired than they think. Ari looks so adorable with his stuffies.
They are all about the “extra!”
I agree with all that has already been said. I also getting a glimpse at Ari’s negotiating skills! Thanks for letting me be a part of this night’s ritual!
Oh, he’s a grand negotiator!
Cute game he came up with to play. I am doing this bargaining with my grandson who is three. I have been working to keep a hard line with him – so quick and bright these young guys are! Thanks for sharing our bedtime routine.
The bargaining is never-ending, isn’t it?
That Ari us full of personality and it always shines through when you write about him!
Thank you, Diane!