Ugly Doll Play Dates

My boys love each other. I'll admit, sometimes they fight. Sometimes they just can't seem to pull it together and love each other. Sometimes the tattling gets out of control. I occasionally have to separate them to remind them how much nicer it is to be together than apart.

But they always beg to be let out of isolation to get back to each other. They are best buddies, whether they admit it or not.

One evidence of their love of each other and bond they share despite anything that may have happened between them is how excited they are to share a bedroom and bunkbeds. Even years after they began sharing a room, they still get a kick out of it. Every night, after lights are out and mom and dad have said goodnight, they invent fun together. They just can't seem to get enough of silliness and fun at this time.

One of their favorite after bedtime games is called "Ugly Doll Play Date." If you are not familiar with Ugly Dolls, they are simply monster stuffed animals and my boys love them. They each have a few of them. They love to gather them up at night, climb up into the top bunk, and set up some sort of organized play date. I never stick around to find out exactly what goes on in these play dates, but I come in to break it up at some point and they are always in full swing with no intention of slowing down.

What an amazing thing to have a built in best friend who is with you no matter where you go or what your family does. As they grow up, they will have many opportunities to grow apart. It is one of my hearts deepest desires to see them only grow closer together in their brotherly bond (although, at some point, I suppose I hope they aren't still having Ugly Doll play dates...)

Suspicious Behavior

Last night, when I announced that it was bedtime, Mitchell immediately stopped what he was doing and climbed up the stairs.  Usually, it takes some convincing or even threatening (at least a little conversation of some sort!) to complete this process, but this night, he needed nothing but that first suggestion.  Weird.  

I followed him up there and when I entered his room, there he was, in his bed, laying on his stomach, with eyes closed, pretending to sleep.  Just as I was about to compliment him on his amazing listening and obeying skills, he opened one eye, peeked at me, then whipped his hand out from under his belly, brandishing my new pizza cutter at me with a look of pure mischief on his face!  I should have suspected roguish activity from the start, knowing Mitchell as I do.  He has been eyeing that new "tool" and attempted many a swipe ever since I bought it a few weeks ago to replace the old one that had been abused by him.  This night, he finally succeeded in getting it out of the kitchen and out of my sight.  No wonder he was in such a hurry to get to bed.  Sneaky little guy...

Good Thing It's a Big Bed!

While we have company, we have a bit more complicated sleeping situation.  The older boys have to give up their room to sleep on couches in the living room (which they love!) but can't fall asleep down here unless the rest of us want to go to bed when they do (which we don't!)

So they goof around, make a lot of noise and, eventually, fall asleep in my bed each night and then we move them downstairs when we are ready to go to sleep.  Last night I went up to move them and found a lot more work than I was planning.  They had so many toys in bed with them, I'm not sure how they found enough room to get comfortable!  I don't love that it takes them hours sometimes to fall asleep at night, but I do love that they still get such a kick out of sharing a room, doing secret things at night, playing spooky games, loading up their beds with as many toys as possible, singing sweet little songs, and other general mayhem.  With the way they play at night together, you'd think they hadn't just spent all day together!  I hope they always love each other this much.