Ready, Set, DYE!!!

About 4 years ago I bought a easter egg coloring kit because I was bound and determined to just do all the holiday things that I did growing up whether or not Trevor and I actually had kids. When it came down to it, I felt silly doing it all by myself so there is still a kit in our filing cabinet. This year, however, was different.

Brody is finally old enough to dye easter eggs! I was so excited. Even Trevor who is somewhat of a bah-hum-bug when it comes to doing all the little holiday activities, likes to do things if it is something that Brody will have fun doing.

I got everything set up, put Ryder in his bumbo seat on top of the table and got my trusty little canon powershot (not my fancy camera) ready. Brody gets up to the table and points to all the dye and shouts, "Colors!" all excited-like. Then he says the same thing about the eggs waiting in the carton to be colored. Trevor and I try to explain what to do and Brody grabs an egg all excited and ready to go and taps it on the edge of the table to try and crack it open (I think he's 'helped' mom a few times in the kitchen when she's cooking?). No-no-no Brode! We both are saying and then laughing while we show him what to do.

The dollar I spent on a plastic tablecloth was probably the best investment I could have made for our dye-fest! First, it was a play thing for Ryder while I got things set up:

And then it was a spot protector from all the dye that splattered on the table. I seem to remember coloring eggs taking a heck of a lot longer when I was a kid doing it with my brother. Maybe it was because we had to share the dye and maybe it was because we were competing to see who could get their eggs the darkest and prettiest colors. Then again, it may be that Brody is only 2 and 1/2 and really thinks just coloring the eggs is pretty awesome and there's no need for perfection at this stage.

Our 3rd Wheel

There's this impossibly handsome little boy that never wants to take a good picture anymore named Brody Jay. Mr. Brody Jay has developed a TERRIBLE habit. He seems to think its perfectly acceptable to join Trevor and I in our bed on a nightly basis!

Not a big deal you say? I think its a huge deal. Prior to Ryder being born we knew we were going to have to transition Brody from his crib to a toddler bed. We wanted to do this before Ryder came so that Brody didn't feel like he was getting booted from his beloved crib. Trevor was more adament that this happened than I was. I knew it would be even a few months after Ryder was born before he actually slept in the crib because he would be in our room for a while.

So, we did it. We got a toddler bed and moved him in. It was a very easy and smooth transition. The very first night he slept in it with no problemo. For about a week when Brody would wake up he would call to us that he was up. We would go get him and all was well. Could we really be so lucky? Um, no, of course not.

The week came and went and he finally realized that he could just get out of his bed whenever he felt like it. He started making the trip across the house to our room. Trevor and I would let Brody in bed and then after a bit one of us would take him back to his own bed. One night close to my due date we had taken Brody back to his own bed SEVERAL times and I distinctly remember tearfully telling Trevor I didn't know how I was going to handle this once Ryder came. I deeply value my sleep, and I knew I would be getting up with a newborn but then to add even more time awake with the 2 year old was just not going to fly with me!

Then for a short period of time we were blessed. Ryder came, and Brody stuck to his room (mostly). It was so wonderful.....and short lived.

Both boys are in their own rooms. Both sleep through the night. However, Brody joins us each night at some point. I truly believe that this has become such a habit that he now makes the trek to our room in his sleep half the time. He always goes to Trevor's side of the bed so I sometimes don't even know he's even in the bed until I end up with his head on my shoulder and I wake up to see his feet stretched across to Trevor's shoulder. On nights like that I get up and put him back in his bed. On other nights I don't do so well....I just leave him there because I'm too tired.

I'm hoping this is just a phase. Its not my favorite thing because I'm a big believer in having our kids in their own beds. For now its okay, it just won't be appropriate if he's a teenager still climbing in with us! So I guess I'll just go with the motto: "This too shall pass."