maddux and the blue marker

bed time has been a challenge with maddux. it is part of why we stopped naps with him well before he turned two and fight to keep him awake some days. the kid just doesn't like to go to bed. we have been on a good run of almost a month where he goes to be easily or falls asleep during books and stays in his bed all night (mid-night waking and getting in our bed has been another long running problem with him). we have learned that there are some nights where he just isn't tired at bed time and will look at books or color until he is tired or falls asleep and then we can take him to bed willingly instead of him having a nuclear meltdown at bedtime that disrupts everyone.

anyway... last night was a difficult night. he had not had a nap but for some reason matt ended up having to carry him to bed kicking and screaming. i was praying and singing with mason in their room. once maddux calmed down i asked him what was wrong and he said, "show you". he took my hand and let me back to the table to show me that he just wanted to finish coloring. i left him to see what matt had already told him about the coloring and we agreed that he could color for a few more minutes as long as he was quiet.

and he was quiet. then he came in our room to give matt the picture he had finished for him. matt was trying not to laugh as maddux explained that he had drawn "yo-yo" (his new imaginary friend) because his face was covered in an almost perfect stripe of blue marker!

when i asked him to say, "good night", i did not expect him to head off to bed! what a difference 30 minutes makes! and he showed me the blue marker and i am happy to report that it was not eaten but was safely returned to the other markers.

as i used baby wipes to remove the marker from his hands and face, i came up with a theory on what happened. there was no marker on the table or anywhere else he had been. i think he colored the side of his hands (between thumb and forefinger) and the wiped his hands back and forth across his mouth while spitting/drooling on them. he most likely did put the marker in him mouth too but i don't think he colored on his face.

this is such a maddux thing to do too! he doesn't try to be naughty, he just is. and we love him to pieces. he fills our lives with so much laughter and memories we will cherish long after he is grown and moved. love.