September 18, 2022

Big week over here, guys. Duke had his first full week of school - he loved it. He also started soccer - also loved it. And then he turned six and we resolutely kicked him out of our bed at night - he's adjusting. Ha!

I mean, it all started innocently enough. We never intended to co-sleep, but then Duke was born and he refused to sleep or be put down ever, and so one night, I just drifted off to sleep with him curled up in my arms and we got a solid two hours before he woke up again. It was magnificent and basically I aimed to survive, so it became habit. He wouldn't consistently sleep through the night until he was three, but we got better sleep when he was next to me, so we carried on. Eventually he moved into his own bed, but he'd always make his way back into ours somewhere in the night. At first, I wouldn't notice it - I'd just wake up and there he'd be. 

But....he's six now and he got so freaking big that there's just not enough room for the three of us + inevitably a dog or two. Duke got great sleep, but Ryan and I woke up a hundred times a night to a foot in our face or a kick to the back. It was time. 

We all agreed, after his 6th birthday, he needed to sleep all night in his own bed. And we told him it was the law. And the police might arrest him if he came to our bed. Listen, I know. But it worked. The first night was iffy - he woke up and called for me instead of getting in my bed, which I thought was a win. I ended up sleeping on the floor next to his bed until he fell back to sleep and we were both up for the day around 4am. But then the next night? Presto magic. He hasn't tried to get in my bed since. He has had several very early mornings, I suspect because instead of rousing lightly from his sleep at 5am or whatever and snuggling up to me or Ryan, he just wakes up to himself and can't quite turn back over. I expect this to sort itself out eventually as he gets more used to sleeping solo, but in the meantime, I'm calling this a success. 

Another bridge crossed, taking us further from babyhood and more deeply into the forest of childhood. It's nice, but sometimes it pangs too, you know? 

**

Soccer on the other hand...I mean, we'll see. We've only had a couple practices, so I'm not ready to call it yet, and all I'll say for now is that when it comes to athletic endeavors, the apple may not fall from the tree.