Don't touch Breakables

Last night I was sitting with Ryan waiting for him to actually fall asleep in his own bed. In case you missed it or didn't realize it our family has a habit of nocturnal roaming and we become nomadis when it is time to go to bed or at various times during the night. In other words no one goes to sleep in their own bed OR, if they do go to sleep in their own bed, they don't seem to stay there.
Anyway, Ryan and I had a discussion earlier in the day about how it would be nice if we all slept in our own rooms ALL night long. He was fine with this thought and excited about the promise of new bedding/bed if he did accomplish staying in his own bed for 15 days straight. When it came time to tuck him in read the 4 books limit and leave him to fall asleep in his own bed, that was a different story. He didn't cry and scream and fuss, he was rather calm, but nervous. That in itself made the whole thing hard I think. I could tell he was trying to be brave about the thought of sleeping in his OWN bed ALL night by HIMSELF, but he had those silly thoughts of what if... running through his mind. I promised to sit in his room and talk to him a few minutes until he felt better.

We started talking about things and he brought up ghosts and monsters. I tried to reassure him that they weren't real and that I hadn't ever seen any in the 30 years of my life. I then tried the ol' change the subject tactic by saying that I have seen more rainbows and snowflakes in my life than I have ghosts and monsters. That prompted Ryan to ask if Rainbows are real and if so, how they are made. I did a brief and choppy science answer about water and light and how rainbows form and then mentioned that although we can see rainbows we can't touch them, just like stars. Ryan responded with the wisdom of a five year old by saying "kind of like breakables, huh?". It took me a second to understand what he was talking about and then realized he was saying that not being able to touch a rainbow or a star was like not being able to touch breakables! Made my heart melt!!!!

I then told Ryan that I wanted to name a star after him someday. He promptly asked me if he could wish on the star. I told him that would be a great idea and he decided to make his wish right at that moment. He closed his eyes tight and scrunched up his nose for what seemed like FOREVER (I told Jeff I think he might have been wishing he hadn't agreed to this stay in my own bed thing). When he opened his eyes, I asked him what he wished for and he very seriously told me "I can't tell you mom, 'cause if I do it won't come true". Then he offered to let me have a wish on his star.

After a little more conversation, I left him in his room saying I had to go check the laundry. He didn't protest and was sleepy enough. I think he fell asleep as soon as I left the room. When I came back to check on him he was sleeping soundly. He made it through the night last night and got to have daddy tuck him in tonight. I know that the conversations tonight didn't revolve around science, stars, rainbows and breakables, I think the conversation revolved around teams, mascots, sports and players.