Sweet Dreams
My sweet middle child has been having some rough days lately…
…hurt feelings on the playground
…a crushed lunch (someone accidentally? smashed his lunch to bits; plastic sandwich holder cracked into pieces and juice pouch sliced open leaking on everything!)
…tears at bedtime every night over "what will happen if our house burns down?"
(Mary Catherine is learning about Fire Science from the Olathe Fire Department with weekly visits…we know all about the Fire Triangle in this house...)
So I ran out this morning…on my day off…to buy Ben some new bed sheets.
Flannel bed sheets!
(Ben's had this sweet teddy bear since he was born…a gift from his Uncle Ryan (Chris' brother))
Bed time has felt rushed this school year.
Tired kids…and a tired mama…especially when Daddy's on-duty…has made for hurried and lapsed routines.
"Get on your jammies…no time for books…say your prayers to yourself," sadly has been my motto of late.
So, I promised Ben when I dropped him off at school this AM, that our evenings would flow better.
Flannel sheets won't take all of his fears away, but I'm hoping that being wrapped up in cozy flannel will somehow make the nights seem shorter…and warmer.
That, and returning to our bedtime normal…
…bath…books...and bedtime prayers…should help everyone fall asleep quicker and longer.
(Sight words on a ring…Dr. Seuss' "Oh the Places You'll Go World Travel Cards --beautiful and informative...and some of our favorite read-aloud picture books)
(Tear jerker of a story…about one mother's quest to remember and capture their "lasts" instead of letting them silently slip by)
(Our favorite bedtime activity…Holy Water and Prayers of Thanksgiving)
Wishing you all sweet dreams this evening wherever you lay your head down.
Dearest Val...
ReplyDeletefirst let me say sorry about the tears from our sweet babe...
and secondly...if anything will make him smile, it will be the love that his momma put into his special surprise. : )
That looks wonderful!!! And so cozy. : )
Hugs for a great fresh start tonight!
Oh...and I LOVE his wallpaper border!
Oh Billie Jo, you should have heard him scream! Yes, scream with excitement over the new sheets. When we got home from school I sent him upstairs to "change out of uniform school clothes…" next thing I know he's jumping for joy. You'dve thought I hung the moon!!! Thanks for your sweet words…it's hard to be the middle…especially when you're a sensitive soul. I wouldn't change that about him for anything…but I do think he's gonna be one of those boys who gets their heart broken, rather than be a heart-breaker. :( Hugs!!!
DeleteOh, and I forgot to add, thanks so much for the compliment on the border. I only did one long wall of the finished attic space….it took nearly 2 full rolls…so the alphabet repeats itself, but I can't even tell you how cute the letter pics are for ALL of the letters. Vintage toy images for each…an old "woody" Car for letter "C"…a Dalmatian for letter "D" etc. I love them all. I read recently that wallpaper is making a comeback and I just saw an incredibly beautiful little girl's room with one wall wallpapered…not sure if I'm ready to do a full wall yet…
DeleteI bet he was thrilled. Having a great Mom like you who can read "between the lines" and
ReplyDeletetry to find a fix the situation goeas along way. Life can be so rushed and this time
of year does not help.
Way to go!
M :)
Thanks, dear friend!!! And yes, this time of year only puts fuel on the fire. Us teachers know that too well…huh?!
DeleteI love the letters too! Darn. I was hoping they were cards. I feel for your son. Maybe a play date would help him too. The lunch sounds suspiciously suspicious. Did you talk with the teacher? He sounds like he has a lot of anxiety, poor little guy.
ReplyDeleteHousewifespice, I've seen some ADORABLE vintage alphabet cards hung on clothesline with clothespins on Pinterest so I know exactly what you are talking about! In hindsight…I wish I would have cut those "cards" apart and maybe modgpodged them on to card stock. Oh well…live and learn. Yes…suspicious lunch. I actually teach (part-time) at my kiddos' school, but since today was my day off, I decided not to email his teacher and wait until tomorrow when I can talk to her in person. He does have anxiety…although nothing medically diagnosed…just my mom and teacher knowledge. I've talked to his pediatrician about it, and he recommends not doing anything at this point…in fact…not playing into certain fears…so as to show him that we all have fears, but mostly are able to work/live around it. Like this summer…he fell off his bike…like he did a million times…only this time splitting his chin open and needing stitches. I remained really calm driving him to the ER where daddy met us with the fire truck *smile*. The next day, he wanted to get back on his bike and I was like "no way little buddy", but my husband said, "let him get back on." So glad I did…he's been back to riding ever since! Thanks for dropping by.
DeleteOH, what a sweet post. I so relate with the too busy for stories and even prayers....I decided last year sometime, after a looooong stretch of those kind of nights, that whenever the kids asked (because they always do) for prayers, I'd come no matter what. Here we are as mamas, so busy, having kiddos asking, even begging for prayers, God must be so proud! Then, me in my busy-ness brush them off like it's not important. I don't want them growing up thinking it is not important...so now, I pray, if there's no time, at least there's a "Angel of God" prayers and "Sleep with the Angels" and of course God bless you.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful mama you are to think of such a sweet surprise!! I want to read books with you and say prayers with you too...God bless you!