A Tale of Two Beds

Lately, Will has been really acting out of sorts.  He's been talking back, throwing fits and even hitting.  If he doesn't get his way he'll immediately tell you that he doesn't love you, or raise a hand.  On Christmas Day he smacked me in the belly and whacked Nana in the eye.  (We're all fine)  Brian and I have been at our wit's end trying to get this behavior to stop.  I know it's just a phase, and I know that Christmas is overwhelming, and that he obviously knows something is going on with this "little brother" we've been talking about.  Time-outs seem to help, but only for so long.

Well, tonight Brian started to put together the crib, and I folded and put away all of the baby clothes that I had washed earlier in the week.  Will goes running into the nursery to see what Daddy's up to and stops in horror when he gets there.  Daddy's taking apart the toddler bed.  He immediately bursts into tears and wails about his little boy bed.   Daddy tried to explain that Will has a big boy bed now, and Baby needs to sleep in the crib.  Will, still wailing, insists that the baby needs to sleep on the rug.

DING DING DING!  Suddenly the recent behavior makes sense.  He's acting out because there's a baby on the way to his house.  He talks about his brother, but wants him to live with his own family.  And his Mommy and Daddy are certainly NOT going to be the Baby's Mommy and Daddy. I'm feeling a bit guilty....I've been sort of pre-occupied about how it's going to change life for me and Brian having TWO kids to keep track of and take care of, and I haven't focused on how it's going to affect my Big Boy. 

So what was the solution for tonight?  Well.....Brian put the "Little Boy Bed" in Will's room next to the "Big Boy Bed" for the time being and that seemed to comfort him.  And after several rounds of silly songs and board games like "Ants in the Pants" we had our smiling happy little boy back.  Now he's having his usual bedtime ritual of milk and a "rainbow cookie." 

I promise that no matter how tired and burnt out I am feeling over the next couple of weeks, I will make time to hang out with my boy.  I tell him how special and loved he is all the time, but now is the time to show him.  And these last few weeks will be the last time in his life that he will be an only child.  I'm sorry to have forgotten that.