Rules for Amber

Amber is so funny. She is realizing the boundaries and rules of things. Recently in the last month or so, she has been wanting to sleep in my bed. I thought for nap time she could try it, and as long as she slept, I wouldn't really mind. She is big enough that she isn't going to fall off my bed or anything, so why not? When I go to bed, I just pick her up and move her to her bed.

When she first asked, I told her there were rules.

• No getting out of my bed
• You have to stay laying down
• No making a mess in my room
• You have to be really quiet
• If you don't follow the rules you go back to your own bed

Now every time I go to put her to down for a nap she will ask if she can sleep in my bed and then she starts telling me all the rules..."I will be really quiet (in a whisper and her finger touching her lips to make the SHHH sign), I won't get our of your bed I won't make a mess."

Most the time she does good and she can stay in my bed and she takes a normal nap. In the last week she will come out of my room and say, "I want to go to my own bed now." I will then go put her to bed in her own bed and all is well. The first part of last week she couldn't go in my bed because she "didn't follow the rules."

Over the weekend, Robert and I were watching a movie. Amber was in my bed and was doing well or I thought. She then came down stairs, and when I asked what she was doing she said, "Getting you a pillow, you need a pillow." She grabbed a pillow off the floor and was carrying it to me "Look up" (which means lean forward) and then she put the pillow behind my back. Then she started in with saying, "I am hungry!" as she was rubbing her belly and then it was, "Can I watch your movie? Is it a scary movie? I like scary movies! Does it have a monster in it? I want to watch it." I told her it was very scary but it didn't have any monsters but one big really silly shoe that liked to scare people. Robert is just cracking up at her requests. I tell her she can have a few crackers and then must go to bed. I always feel bad for her because she eats like a mouse. Just a little her and there, I am always worried if she is getting enough, so when she says she hungry or thirsty for water, I hate NOT to give it to her. She mostly drinks chocolate milk all day long. (well maybe only like 2 or 3 cups)

Last night, I put her to bed, she wants to sleep in my bed. She starts telling me the rules that she won't do this and won't do that... I tell her no problem. Put her down in my bed. Turn on some music and she seems good to go. A little later I hear her upstairs wanting to go to her own bed. FIGURES! I go up and put her in her own bed. She asks for more water to drink then she starts telling me MY rules:

• Get me one more drink
• Take my cup
• Cover me up
• Don't wake me up
• Don't get me out of bed
• Don't give me a sucker because I am really really tired
• Don't give me more water because I am not thirsty anymore
• Don't turn off my music
• Don't bother me because I am going to sleep

I was trying not to laugh and just said, "okay." She really cracks me up! I followed the rules, and left her in her bed and all was good til this morning. I guess she wanted to make her own rules this time.