Bedtime Miracles

{disclaimer: yes, my house is a mess. yes, it does look like this most of the time. four boys live in this 800-sq-ft apartment; let's be realistic.}

My  Max jumped out of his crib.

We took the crib away.

He cried.

"What? Where bed?"

My brother gave him a toddler bed.

We've had 6 long nights of

PLEASE GO TO SLEEP BEFORE I DUCT TAPE YOU TO YOUR BED

and now this:

A few minutes later...

A few minutes later...

Another minute later...

{you can't see it, but he's laughing and jumping, mocking me}

And then...

{Poop?!}

Getting frustrated...

{there was no poop - just the 2-yr-old's idea of stalling technique}

What you missed in between:

"Mommy, you are nicer than anything." 

{oh, the things Asher will say to charm me into letting him stay up}

"But Mom, you didn't kiss Teddy and Lamby!" 

{Joshua will be 30 and still considering Teddy as a legitimate member of this family}

"Drink a ba-ba. No go bed." 

{Max will be the death of me.}

Result, after only 2 hours: 

{huge improvement over the last 5 nights}

{Hallelujah}