Two Sheets to the Wind

Dear reader, this is going to be a short post.  I just simply have to share with you what I learned today.

Not everyone enjoys sleeping with a top sheet.

Yes.

That is what I am blogging about.  You see, I have been raising several little people who have perplexed me.  Many of my children have eschewed a top sheet and prefer to sleep with just the comforter on top of them.  This has frustrated me, because sleeping with a fitted sheet underneath you, a top sheet above you, and perhaps a blanket and then a comforter on top is just what you do, and it feels wonderful!  I have encouraged my children to do it this way, telling them that no one skips the top sheet.

Until today, when I found out that some people, in fact, never use a top sheet.  Grown ups!  I had no idea!

Sunday night, whilst shopping online at Kohl's, I discovered beautiful gray patterned percale sheets (just like mine, actually, which I blogged about here) on sale for a lovely low price.  All three boys were using hand-me-down sheets that didn't match their room, so I decided to buy them each a set.  I happily told one of my sons that he was getting new sheets, and he could now use two sheets and a comforter, "just like a real boy!" (I'm not sure why I compared him to Pinocchio -- perhaps I was high on my love of percale sheets).  He seemed less than enthused and said he would just take the fitted sheet and the pillowcase.  "But son!", I exclaimed.  "You are getting older now - you need to sleep in a bed like adults do! All grown ups sleep in a bed with two sheets!"  He didn't believe me and suggested that, perhaps, not everyone did indeed sleep with a top sheet.  I firmly disagreed.

And then this morning, somehow this topic came up with some of my colleagues and preschool parents, and my world was shattered (did I go too far there?).  As it turns out, several people in the conversation do not use a top sheet.

Seriously.  I had no idea, son.  It seems you can be a real boy and not use a top sheet.  Live and learn.

But I'm not giving mine up!

The Week in Pictures

Here's a little summary of our week, in photographic form:

I bought this lovely Chopped salad (if you haven't tried them, buy one right away - they are fabulous!), and noted a strange interloper in the bottom of the bag. . .

A giant carrot!  I can't fully explain why, but that giant carrot cracked me up. For several minutes, I laughed about that carrot.  My son grabbed some ranch and made quick work of it.

IKEA towels!  My parents bought some new IKEA towels, which I saw over Christmas break.  I loved them, because they have a little loop for hanging up, which might perhaps give my children the nudge they need and enable them to actually hang up their towels. Since I have no IKEA nearby, I asked my parents if they would buy some for me on their next trip.  I asked them to get two of each color, and assigned each child a color.  I have wanted to implement this system for awhile and these towels seemed to fit the bill.  So far so good!  If I find a towel laying on the ground, I know 

just who to ask about it!

The detritus of one Shadow puppy.  His most beloved items, all lovingly laid out for his perusal.

A playdough My Little Pony, made at the request of my younger daughter with her big sister.  The two girls laughed and worked together on this masterpiece.  I simply adore their sisterly bond. 

This is the dresser drawer of my youngest child, lined with a piece of wrapping paper from the baby shower I had for her big sister.  When my mom was pregnant with me, she saved all the wrapping paper from my shower and lined my dresser drawers with them.  I still have all that wrapping paper - from the early 70s!  When I had my baby shower, I followed suit, and had so much fun lining my baby's drawers.  Even now, 16 years later, when I open my not-so-little one's dresser drawer, the wrapping paper makes me smile.

Love You More

Every night, the same.  My 7-year-old starts the following sequence, in rapid-fire succession:

K:  Love you more than you love me!
me: Impossible!
K: Possible!
K: Love you more than Sprite!
me:  Love you more than coke (zero)!
both of us together: PLUNGE (with an exploding hand motion)
K: Love you more than hearts!
me: Love you more than stars!
K: Love you to the moon and farther!
me: Ditto!

Then we hug and kiss and then blow kisses and hugs at the door and finally part for the night.  Every night.  Sometimes it's rote to me, and sometimes I even feel impatient -- I have a long list of things to do still - can we hurry things along a bit?

But when I'm not feeling so rushed or tired, I relish these moments.  All of the "one more hug, mom" (from all three of my youngest kids), "sleep with me for just a minute" and "I love you so much, mommy" - this is the good stuff.  I may have a long list to finish downstairs every night, but nothing is more important than those moments at bedtime with my sweet babes.

I recently read a quote by C.S. Lewis -- "Children are not a distraction from more important work.  They are the most important work."  Yes!  Yes!  How often we forget the work God assigned to us in the gifts of our children.  How often I put other things I think are important in front of playing with, talking to or even cuddling with my children.

Laundry, dishes, cleaning, work. . .it'll all be there tomorrow and the next day.  But little ones who want to cuddle and have a love fest will grow up before I know it (I know this from experience - my two older ones aren't inclined to sit on my lap anymore!).  I think I'll make a renewed effort to remember my most important work - loving my children.