One More

Alex likes to read books.  Actually, that's not accurate.  He likes to look at books.  He really doesn't care about the story.  Most of the time, he'll turn a page before I can get through all the words.  He likes touch & feel books.  He also likes it when we point to things on a page & tell him what they are or when we ask him to point to something.

We typically "read" a few books before bedtime.  He'll bring me a book & sit in my lap.  Then he'll bring me another book.  Repeat multiple times.  Lately, I started telling him "one more" to signal when reading time is almost over.  He loved the phrase for some reason & started saying it.  He gets excited & says "one more" over & over while we read the last book.  Then he jumps up, grabs another book & says "one more?"  So cute but I try to be strong & stick to my guns so he'll learn what "one more" means.

Then I pick him up & we cuddle a few minutes before bed.  I say "night night" & put him in his bed.  He usually stands & puts his arms up to signal he wants me to hold him longer.  Like the books, this could go on all night.  This week, he started saying "one more" while holding out his arms.  Who could resist that?  I pick him up one more time & cuddle.  Then I have to resist my natural urge to give him everything he wants, put him back in bed & leave the room.  Now he'll woefully say while I'm leaving - "one more??"  It about breaks my heart.  So stinking cute!

Before you start thinking I'm the meanest mama around, you should also know that Alex is really easy to put to bed.  He may fuss for about 30 seconds but then he lays down & goes to sleep.  I tell myself it has to do with the fact that I don't give into every request of his.  But let's be honest, it's probably just his personality & I'm just justifying to myself that it's ok not to grab & squeeze him every time he says "one more"...  Because that's what I REALLY want to do.  J