i didn’t know he could do that.

deacon fell asleep by himself tonight. i didn’t know he could do that.

if you will recall, that fateful day last spring that deacon hopped out of his crib was the last time he ever set foot in it again. since he wouldn’t sleep in his crib and we didn’t have a big boy bed yet, deacon slept on the couch for a couple of months. sounds weird, but it worked.

then we finally got a twin sized bed, cars sheets and deacon took to his bed like a fish to water. but since night one, clayton or i have always laid down in bed with him until he was asleep. stop judging, it worked for us. not to mention that as a working mom, those 30 mintues where i got to hold him as he fell asleep was precious time. we struggled only with the fact that if he wakes up, he doesn’t stay in bed.

so we get up and take him back to bed, or he climbs in our bed or we just move him to the couch and turn on the tv.

lately, bed time has been a tiny struggle. deacon just didn’t want to stay in bed after we’ve read our books. the other night i ‘helped’ him stay in bed, all the while he was kicking and screaming. but after 2 mintues he calmed down and drifted off.

tonight, we read a book about african animals and i turned the light off and deacon jumped out of bed. he put himself in time out which i think was his way of saying he couldn’t get in bed yet, because he was in time out. i said, ‘deacon’s body needs to be in bed. do you want to get in bed or do you want me to help you?’ screaming ensued. i had him on the bed and as he was squirming his way out of bed i just said, ‘love you, night night’ and walked out and locked the door behind me.

locking the door isn’t a big deal b/c he can unlock it from the inside and i can unlock it from the outside. i stood outside that door for at least 15 minutes waiting for sounds or lights or something. but nothing. so then i went and did stuff all the while waiting for a sneaky little boy to emerge from the room. but nothing.

of course, after 30 minutes i was convinced that he had bashed his head on something and was hurt. but actually, he had just gone to sleep without me.

i can’t believe it. he is growing up!