Mornings with Joel

Today the kids have a day off of school for a teacher work day.  I told them I would pay whoever slept the longest and Joel just had to sleep past 7am.  He woke up at his normal time and then went back to sleep until 7:45.  Colin slept the longest but they all earned a $1.  They don't get an allowance.  They have to do their chores for free but I'm thinking paying for sleep is a win for all of us!

The other morning Joel was in another sunny sour mood.  I used to say when he was little he would need a pot of coffee before he's fully awake.  He wakes up early but I think he needs that because he's not a jump out of bed ready to go type of person.

So our conversation the other morning:

Joel - I couldn't sleep last night - I was up until 1am

Me - Why did you have trouble sleeping?

Joel - Do you see me adventuring in a forest or a field? And is a forest out in the open?

Me (not knowing where this conversation is going) why?

Joel - I like enclosed spaces. I like a forest not a field. I need a small bed

Me - You have a small bed

(we recently moved the boys into the same room. Joel went from a full bed to a twin bed which we thought was going to be an issue but I guess we didn't go small enough. Joel also loves having Colin in there. Colin surprisingly loves it too - he gave up his super huge room over the garage for a playroom)

Joel- No. If I roll over it takes me 4 rolls to get to the end of the bed. I'd like a couch to sleep on.  A couch is enclosed. A couch would be a better bed.

I told him I would look into a couch for his room instead of a bed.  I then asked him what he wanted for breakfast. I told him his options were cereal, bagels, or oatmeal that morning

Joel - Cereal.  What kind of milk do we have

Me - Regular milk (thinking he was making sure because brent has to have almond, rice, or coconut milk)

Joel - are you sure you didn't put anything in there? because you don't even know me.

Me - what would I put in there?

Joel - A rotten nut (I have no idea why he thought that)

Well then I asked him why he thinks I don't know him.

Joel - You don't even know what I'm afraid of

Me - What are you afraid of Joel

Joel - See you've already forgotten

Me- Well Joel do you know what I'm afraid of?

Joel - NO! I've only been alive 8 years and you've known me since the day I was born....

Me - Joel that's the same amount of time

But I thought about it later and someone knowing you your whole life does seem longer than only knowing you 8 years.


All this was in a 40 minute time span.  Its exhausting sometimes but I will miss my morning conversations with Joel when he is older.