Yes, but...

I don't know how well this will translate to writing; this story is so dependent on the facial expression, but I will do my best.

For the last several days Benjamin has been out of sorts with his sleeping habits. He is typically a 3-4 hour napper in the afternoons, but over the last week or so he has been talking and playing for up to 2 hours in his bed before finally falling asleep. Today this little routine required some parental intervention.

The first time I went in to his room he was wailing desperately because he had somehow wedged his leg between the crib bars and was unable to free it. When I opened the door he looked at me pitifully and wimpered, "(s)tuck!" In order to free his leg I had to "walk" the crib backward away from the wall, wedge myself behind it, and work his leg out from the outside. Before I left the room I gave him the lecture, "Benjamin, you are being too silly. It's time for you to take a nap. I want you to lay down, close your eyes, and go to sleep."


The second time I heard a loud thump! thump! that could only mean one thing: he was kicking the wall. Not wanting him to wake Talia, who was sleeping in the next room, I hurried in to put a stop to this noisy activity. This time his lecture was a little more stern. "Benjamin, it's very important for you to take a nap. No more talking and no more kicking the wall. I want you to cuddle up with Bear and your blankie and Pooh and GO TO SLEEP."

Just a few minutes later I again heard the thumping of little bare feet on a hollow wall. Hiding my irritation, I entered the room and calmly, but firmly, placed him in a horizontal pose. I placed his blankie in the crook of one arm and his bear in the other. He looked at me wide-eyed and serious. I got down very close to his face and started the lecture. He had the look of a kid trying to look as if he is paying close attention to every word, when clearly his attention is on a superior concern. "Here. Is. Your. Bear. Here. Is. Your. Blankie. Now. Close. Your. Eyes. And. GO. TO. SLEEP." As soon as I had finished my very stern talk he, with his most innocent, obedient face, made a tiny gesture with his pointer finger toward the other side of the crib. In a very small voice he asked meekly, "Pooh?"