All The Things Rowan Cuddles

This blog is so far overdue, but with my hand issues typing has been difficult the past few months. A month or two ago I started going in to check on Rowan before I went to sleep. I hadn't done this in awhile, not sure what made me look in on him that night. He is a great sleeper and I had just gotten out of the habit once it warmed up and I didn't think they would be freezing at night. Turns out I should do this every night, not for their safety, but for pure entertainment. Over the past month or so checking in on Rowan, before we go to sleep, has become Zach and I's absolute favorite time of the day.

This all started when I went to check on him and saw that he had on flip flops. He still had his pj's on, but had put his flip flops on and gone to sleep. Earlier in the evening he had come out of his room, told me that his feet hurt (which is an obvious lie because what 3 year old's feet hurt), and asked if he could put on shoes. I don't even know how I answered that question, but apparently he thought his new flip flops would help him sleep better.

After finding Rowan in flip flops I went to check on Zane, who was asleep, in nothing but boxers, facing the wrong way in his bed. His feet were on his pillows and his head was at the foot of the bed, with a makeshift pillow made from his penguin blanket. At that point I realized our children were insane and really began to question what goes on after we close the door.

From there I started making a habit and peeking in on Rowan to see what he is wearing and what he is cuddling. What I have found runs the entire spectrum from cuddling a tiny car to a bed full of books, other random toys, and clothes. Usually whatever he has decided to put in his bed is placed, very nice and neatly, beside him on his pillow. Sometimes he is actively cuddling things, like cowboy boots or most recently a pair of underwear. Every night he opens up his "guy box" (tackle box full of all his tiny people and cars) and at least one car/guy makes it into the bed somewhere. Sometimes multiple cars are lined up neatly by his head, sometimes they are hidden under him when I go to cover him up.

The cowboy boots are probably the most common find. Usually they are lined up like below, sometimes they are being actively cuddled.

  

 Sometimes all is the same, just one tiny car by his head.

I also learned a few days into my new found entertainment that I need to pull back the covers. Turns out Rowan NEVER keeps the pajamas on that he is wearing when we put him to bed. Sometimes part of them remain, like the shirt or the pants, but rarely both. Sometimes he puts on a new tshirt, or his favorite red athletic shorts. But this past week was my all time favorite. I went in to find his pajamas in a pile in the middle of the floor. This isn't new, but when I pulled the coves back he was in his favorite skinny jeans and OU tshirt. Zach had gone to sleep before me that evening so he missed this particular entertainment. I was at work the next morning, so when Rowan came out fully clothed Zach assumed Rowan was just that pulled together, getting dressed before coming out of his room in the morning. And that's when Rowan was sent to daycare in the clothes he had slept in, not pajamas, but the clothes he had randomly wanted to sleep in. This particular incident also led to a fit the next day, by my three year old, because his jeans were "not tight enough." A problem I literally have NEVER had, EVER! "Mommy I want my tight jeans, they real tight, and they fit in my boots." Sorry son, your skinny jeans are dirty, from you wearing them for the past 24hrs. Since this night it has become very common place to find Rowan sleeping in jeans.

A few weeks ago he became fascinated with his new book bag from school summer camp. It has been in his bed every night, but the really interesting part is when you open it to see what he has packed or unpacked from it. One night it was packed full of stuffed turtles. A different night it was packed full of all his shoes. One night it was empty and all his nature stuff from farm camp was spread all over his bed including leaves, a bug sucker, and multiple nature books. And of course one night it was stuffed full of ALL his pants from his drawer. Usually there are a few cars or guys mixed in for good measure. I mean if you are making a midnight get away you are going to need cars and guys.

Here are the daytime contents of his book bag strewn across the floor, and the numerous outfits he had tried on before falling asleep.

Last week there was a day the boys really wanted to go swimming after naps. Thanks to the YMCA's crazy summer swim schedule, I had to wake up the boys from naps in order to make it to family swim. Turns out nap time sleeping is possibly more entertaining than night time. When I walk in this is what I found!!! A plastic snake was wrapped around his neck, as were his set of keys on a lanyard (that he has recently become obsessed with and are generally in bed with him every night). I thought for a moment he was cuddling a bear I had never seen before, nope those were just his bear socks on his hands. Don't worry he had socks on his feet as well and all his alphabet cards spread all over the bed. I died laughing, waking him up, and he could not figure out what was so funny.

 Yes, that is the wrapper of a breakfast bar that I didn't know he had snuck into his room at nap time.

I wish I could get into that little head of his. What is he thinking? How does he find things he hasn't played with in weeks, get them out, and feel the need to sleep with them? How does he choose what clothes to put on or what little guy to pick out of the plastic box full of guys? Does he play with the stuff until he just passes out and falls asleep? Or does he make a conscious decision to lineup toys or shoes in his bed, cover up, and go to sleep? Why does he like to sleep in jeans? All these are burning questions that have no answers. He denies that he ever plays after I put him in his bed. He is so little and quiet that I never hear a peep out of him. When Zane plays or even turns over in bed the whole house shakes. But little Rowan is quiet as a mouse, or maybe Zane's loud playing is just covering up Rowans. I do find it interesting how hysterical all of Rowan's toys, strewn all over the floor and bed, are to me. But when I walk into Zane's room and he has toys everywhere it's just plan annoying. GO TO BED ZANE!!! I guess Rowan's tiny body and funny little personality are just too cute to be upset with. I think I'll start taking pictures every night and then make a book full of the all. So entertaining!!!!! Or maybe I'll just install a baby camera monitor in there and watch is all go down live.