Spending The Night

Ryan did it!  He spent the night at his grandparent’s house, last night. 

Joe and I got to go on our Valentine’s Day (belated) date, with Cole.  He was still pretty fussy and clingy, and we didn’t want to leave him with Joe’s parents, only to have him cry the entire time we were gone.  We had a nice dinner at California Pizza Kitchen, and Cole did great.  He sat in a booster seat next to me and didn’t cry the entire time.  He ate some cereal, baby food, and chewed on the bread. 

Meanwhile, Ryan was having a ball with his 6 year old cousin, K, and his aunt, who had come up for the weekend. We got back to the house around 8 pm, and Ryan came running out to ask us, “Did you bring my jamies?”

His cousin was in her nightgown, and of course Ryan, had to be in his PJ’s too.  So Joe got him ready for bed, and then it hit him that we were leaving.  He looked a little nervous, but I could tell he was trying to be brave.  Ryan was sleeping in a bedroom on an inflatable mattress, with K, sleeping on the bed.

Joe and I decided to stick around for a while to make sure Ryan would be okay.  A few minutes after K, and Ryan went down, K got up to talk to her mom.  They went back into the room a few minutes later, and then K’s mom told me Ryan wanted me- he was crying.

I went to him, and his little pillow was wet from his tears, and he was curled up in a little ball on his mattress.  I felt bad for him, and just hugged him and sat with him for a while.  We think he got scared when K got out of bed, and left him in the room by himself. 

After a while, Cole was crying for me, so I left Ryan, and Joe went back to sit with Ryan for a while.  Well, he was so wound up at that point, we almost decided to take him home with us, but Grandma came to the rescue.  She got ready for bed and went to sleep in the room with Ryan, and K.  She said they talked for a while and he finally fell asleep around 10:30.

It was weird walking past Ryan’s room last night, and seeing the door wide open, and him not in his bed.  I missed him and realized he is slowly but surely gaining more independence away from us, which is a good thing, but it still pulls on my heartstrings. 

We ran some errands this morning and then went back out there at lunch.  As soon as Ryan saw us, he said, “I need to stay here ALL day!”  He wouldn’t let Joe or myself even hug him- that is how much fun he was having.

Far from us to ruin a three-year old’s fun, so after lunch we went home, while Ryan took his nap.  Then K.’s big brother and sister, and their dad came over, and when he woke up, I was told that Ryan was finally asking for me, and was almost in tears, I wasn’t there.  His older cousins soon had him occupied and we came back out for dinner.

I thought we would have a major tantrum on our hands when it was finally time to go home, but Joe talked to Ryan, and I think he was SO tired from trying to keep up with the older kids, that he just went and got his shoes, and brought me my shoes when it was time to go.  No yelling, tears, or stalling.  WOW!  I wished the cousins lived closer. 🙂

As I climbed in the car to go home, Ryan reached out for my hand, and kissed it.  He said, “I missed you, Mom.”  I guess my little boy, isn’t quite so big yet that he didn’t miss me at all, and for right now, I can’t help but be happy about that.