How Did YOU Sleep?

When Adam and Braeden got home from camp, Adam had the kids set up his tent in the backyard.  Then he had Mark, Gavin and the triplets run around inside of it.  They thought they were getting away with something but really Adam was using their remarkable energy to beat all of the dust and dirt off of the tent.

Mark decided he wanted to sleep in the tent...with Braeden.  The last thing Braeden wanted to do on Saturday was sleep in a tent.

Sunday night Mark was unconscious.

Last night Braeden said he'd sleep in the tent (so Adam wasn't able to put it away as planned).

They couldn't convince Emma to sleep out there with them.  (Can you blame her?)

It was with some trepidation that I kissed my boys good night.  It was cold outside.  We had all the windows in the house tightly closed (and when you're married to Adam, that's saying something). 

When I went to sleep, I was thinking of them.  Mark mostly.  Since he's my baby, in my mind he's not seven.  He's three.  And I don't know how I feel about letting a three year old sleep in the backyard when it's cold.

At 4:30, I sat up straight in bed, wide awake.  I had heard Mark cough.  He wasn't in our room.  I thought it must be some sort of mother's intuition that had awakened me.  I was ready to bolt outside and rescue my baby from whatever.

Then I heard him sniffle.  (His allergies are back.)

I found him, lying on the couch in the corner of my bedroom.

"Are you OK?" I demanded, pulling Mark into bed with me. 

He said yes.

He said he couldn't find his blanket so he came inside.  He said, "It's not in my room but a spider is in my room."

(Can I tell you how embarrassing it is to me that I have a child who's afraid of a spider?  A spider?)

I was confused.  All the pieces didn't align. 

Adam was awake by then and he moved Mark between us in the bed.  They conversed and Adam told Mark that his blanket was indeed outside...Braeden had come inside for an extra blanket for each of them after Mark was asleep.  I said, "Sleep inside now Mark...it's cold."

He said no (I guess he was considering the spider) and Adam took him outside.  Adam showed him the blanket.  Mark said, "I thought I was losing my mind.  I'd looked everywhere for it."

At 6:00 this morning, Mark woke up Braeden, "It's raining!"  He yelled, "Run for it!"  They dashed inside (they hadn't wanted the rain fly on the tent). 

The bad news in all of this?

Mark and Braeden thought it was a grand adventure.  They want me to go camping with them in a few weeks.

I was kind of hoping they'd get it out of their system.