My Seussical Life for 2003 December 9

Looks like it will be another sick day at my house. I hope that my kids get better soon. The night time needs are starting to get to me. Last night when Atticus called out for the first time, I was so tired and disoriented that it was like rising from the dead to go to him. It was one o' clock. Dave was up, still working on his paper that is due today. Both of us are pretty tired, for different reasons. I'll be glad when finals are over. Christmas and summer vacations are the salvation of student life. We can all agree about that.

We have a bedtime routine with Atticus that includes reading stories. Atticus really looks forward to this part of the evening, and it settles him down for a good sleep. The other night, however, when I started getting his books ready, Atticus said that he was too tired, and he just wanted to go to bed.

"You don't want to read stories?" I asked, surprised.

"No, I'm tired. I want to go to bed. No stories."

He did seem unusually tired, so that was that. Dave took over from there, putting on his pajamas, and then he took Atticus to his room, where Atticus announced "I want to read stories."

"It's too late. You said you want to go to bed without stories," Dave said. A tantrum ensued, and as Atticus built his opposition, Dave tried to reason with him. Their conversation went something like this:

"I want to read stories!"

"Sorry. You said you were tired and you wanted to go to bed without stories, so it is time for bed."

"But I want to read my stories!!!"

"It's too late. You lost your chance. Time for bed."

More desperately, Atticus pleads "No, I didn't lose my chance. Look, Papa, its coming. Look there, it is walking over here!"

"Honey, chances don't walk."

Hysterics begin "Papa, look, it's HOPPING."

At that point, Atticus fell apart, and we were glad that even in moments such as these, there is a touch of humor to be enjoyed.

Just for the record, we got our first few inches of snow last night.