Thursday, October 2, 2008

A Conversation with Ann Marie

Annie dressing up at the children's museum.

Two nights ago I had a couple of friends over to watch a movie. Annie kept sneaking downstairs to see when I would come up and snuggle her to sleep. She hates to fall asleep alone. At about 10 p.m. one of my friends saw her on the landing of the stairs ... asleep. I had Jon pick her up and take her to bed when he got home a little later that night. 

Yesterday, I was driving Ann Marie home from her violin lesson. My insomniac daughter and I had the following conversation.

"So, Mom, did you see me sleeping on the stairs last night?" asks Annie

"I heard you were asleep on the stairs," I answered. Then I asked "Why did you go to sleep on the stairs?"

"Because I was waiting for you to come snuggle me!" answered Annie a bit frustrated.

"Well why didn't you wait in your bed?" I asked.

"Because it is too cozy and I would have fallen asleep." At last she admits the truth.

"Isn't that kind of the point?" I note for her. "Plus I would rather snuggle you in your bed than on the stairs. I like cozy places to snuggle, not the stairs. And I can still snuggle you even after you fall asleep."

"You snuggled me on the stairs when I was asleep?!?" she said shocked.

"I snuggle you lots of times when you are asleep Annie." I won't lie to her, but sometimes selecting the appropriate true statement with which to answer can be helpful. 

I think she was a little taken back by this revelation that I snuggle her in her sleep. Maybe she will start "waiting for me to snuggle her" in a more cozy location if she believes I will snuggle her in her sleep.