Isn't climbing through the window how everyone gets in their room???

Oh the joys of parenting. I LOVE being a parent. I LOVE my son. He is an incredible child, smart and MOST of the time he is obedient.  I know, I know your kids are ALWAYS obedient but mine is not. I haven't quite figured out that "trick" just yet. I'm working on it. When I figure it out and you want to know what it is, I'll sell it to you :)

V Trying to open the door

Today was one of those days that obedience was not on Eli's top list of things to do. About a month ago Eli moved into a "toddler" bed. By toddler bed I mean a fairly thin foam mattress that sits on the floor. We don't have a real bed for him yet but eventually we will get there. Part of moving up to the toddler bed was the lesson on always staying in his bed. When he goes down for nap or bed he is not allowed to get out. After he falls asleep and before he wakes up we always leave a book or toy for him to play with when he wakes up. Regardless, he is never allowed to get out of his "bed" until we come get him. He has this pattern down pat and is very good at doing exactly what he is suppose to. Today that rule was no different, not to us at least. But, to Eli today was different, in his mind the rule had changed. He DID NOT want to take a nap! So we laid him down as usual at his usual time and he proceeded to scream for a few minutes and then the tears ceased. Typically at this point we wait twenty minutes, check on him and finnd him soundly and sweetly snoozing away. Today, 20 minutes later we found him happily ECSTATICALLY playing. He pulled out all his coloring pages and crayons, pulled all my shoes out of the closet and got on a chair and climbed to the desk and grabbed his puzzles (one of his favorite toys). When we walked in to find this mess Eli was in the corner, so proud of all he had accomplished and figured out how to do. We, on the other hand, were not so happy. Don't misunderstand me, I think it was very innovative of him to figure out that if wanted his puzzles he had to climb for it (and put the chair back in its place...how responsible of him!) but we couldn't show him how proud of him were of his "problem solving" skills.  So we proceeded to reprimand him and put him back in bed. So the screaming commenced. Eli was so mad that we put in bed that he ran to the door and tried to open it. Only problem for him is that it has child safety covers on it so he can't open it. So instead, he chose to lock the door. Well, now that's a problem since the only spare key we have to the room is now locked IN the room. Eli proceeds to yell "Stuck" because he knows he is officially stuck in his room and we can't get in (smart and observant little boy). So, we let him be for a moment in hopes that he would go to sleep while we figured out a plan. After checking all the spare keys in the house and realizing NONE of them work we went to plan B...Go through the window.

All those spare keys and none worked :(

So operation rescue the disobedient child begins. Out comes the ladder outside the house. Eli waiting at the window as if he knew that is what we would do. He excitedly yells Mama, Dadda when he sees us out side. "Fortunately" for us he was awake and waiting for us at the window. After Virgil climbs the ladder to the window he coaches Eli into pulling down the wood stick that keeps the window closed (a trick we hoped he never would learn). After Eli does it (again another proud moment...my son displaying good listening skills) we open the window and "rescue" Eli.

Move out of the way..

Coaching Eli on how to get
the stick!

I got the stick Dad!!!

Rescued!

Doomed for the baby
bed for nap time :(

I was laughing so hard at this whole event I thought I might give birth to my second child right there by that ladder. Of course, Eli thought this meant he got to go play outside via exiting the window but to his disappointment that is not what happened next. Of course we told him what he had done was not good and that he was not allowed to do that and as his punishment he now had to nap in his baby bed. Many tears of protest later he conks out and finds himself in the sweet blissful world of sleep. Ah, he is so perfectly behaved when he is sleeping.

Maybe I should be mad at the acts of my son and if he does it again I probably will be...I pray for both of our sakes he doesn't repeat this one. I also hope he "forgets" how to open the window (that does not have a screen on it) but somehow I doubt that will happen. Today's event were hilarious and part of the joys of parenthood. I'm actually not mad at all. I'll put this one in he books as on of his funniest moments yet...just don't tell him :)