If you were a reader in 2008, you might know what I’m about to blog about. If not, let me explain briefly.
In the early 90′s, my parents gave my brother a magical Christmas gift. Actually, Santa gave him the gift. He went to sleep in his bed and woke up in an amazing new bunk bed (on the bottom bunk as no one wanted him to fall out and break a bone). I helped pull that off as I’m eight years older and was already aware of Santa’s non-existence. FireDad and I decided to carry that over to our children. We did so with BigBrother in 2008; he went to bed in his toddler bed and woke up in a twin bed featuring a Very Hungry Caterpillar bed set. And this Christmas, LittleBrother got his magic.
After my initial panic that FireDad would be at work and I’d have to do it all myself, I began to panic that maybe it wouldn’t work with LittleBrother. They’re both great sleepers, but of the two, LittleBrother wakes more frequently and sleeps lighter than his older brother. The boys went to bed around 8:30, and I waited until 10:00pm to call FireDad home from the fire department to help. I wanted to make sure he was asleep when we transferred him to our room and built the bed in his room.
He stayed asleep during transfer. And slept through banging on walls. And me stepping on the bed frame in bare feet and muffling a yelp. And the repeated sounds of feet up and down the stairs. And our voices — quiet, but voices all the same. And the sounds of packaging being torn off of box springs and mattresses and mattress covers and so on. And he didn’t hear my camera snapping, snapping, snapping across the hall.
[Ignore the lack of bed skirt. Someone, ahem, forgot!]
And he slept through the transfer back to his — new! — bed.
And he slept all night.
And he slept and slept and slept.
He didn’t even wake up when my alarm went off three times because I kept pressing snooze as I went to bed at 1:00 and the Spanish Buzz alarm on my phone started going off at 5:30am. Yawn. He didn’t wake up when I showered and dropped the shampoo in the shower. Or when I dried my hair — which woke up BigBrother. He didn’t wake up when I set BigBrother in our bedroom in front of the TV with very firm directions not to walk down the hall to the living room. He didn’t wake up when FireDad pulled in the driveway, home from his 24 hour shift at the fire department.
In fact, we had to wake the child up. On Christmas morning. What a silly kid.
He stretched. And sat up. And climbed out of bed. And kind of stood there, facing away from the bed, blinking as if he was thinking, “Wait, did I just climb out of bed?” And he turned around.
He was definitely pleased. As was BigBrother — both that his little brother got a Big Boy Bed and that Santa is so entirely awesome that he can magic a bed under you while you’re asleep. They exchanged Santa bed stories while FireDad and I stood by and smiled the smile of parents who pulled it off.
We eventually made our way to the living room and opened presents and went about our day. But let me tell you, LittleBrother is pleased with his Big Boy Bed. And I’m so pleased that we passed a family tradition on to both of our sons. I will treasure the memories of their smiles, their awe and wonder, their joy for the rest of my days. Someday, when they learn that Santa isn’t real and put two-and-two together that their Mom and Dad managed to pull off the magic without the help of the bearded white guy, I will put those faces of confusion, awe and amazement in my mental photograph box as well.
I hope your Christmas was just as magical. Though I do have to ask: Why are the boys’ beds more comfortable than ours?
19 Responses to “Christmas Magic, 2010”
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I hadn’t heard the story before, and I am blown away. Santa is in fact a miracle worker.
Uncle Crappy´s last [type] ..80 for all a yinz guys
Twitter: firemom
says:
My parents deserve the original credit, of course, but yeah, we feel kinda awesome about ourselves.
Santa deserves a whole slew of congrat’s on pulling the magic off twice! Great tradition and I love that you captured the hand held radio on the nightstand. Tales of a fire family indeed! Happy New Year!
Twitter: firemom
says:
Yes. FireDad said once when he ran down to get something out of the basement that I needed to leap at the radio if it went off so that it didn’t wake anyone up. Oh, fire life!
Oh my goodness that’s the cutest tradition ever!!! I just might start that up when I have little ones! I’m glad it all went off perfectly! Merry (late!) Christmas!
Ashlotte´s last [type] ..In 20 years of life- this is my first
Twitter: firemom
says:
It requires a lot of pre-planning (which is right up my alley!) but it’s so worth it! Thanks for the Merry Christmas wishes! You too — and a Happy New Year!
I love this tradition, and am so glad it worked on LB. I can totally imagine turning around with a wrench in my hand, and seeing a little one, bleary eyed, in the door way.
ivory´s last [type] ..Bells on popcans ring- making spirits right- oh what fun to clap and sing- a singing song tonight
Twitter: firemom
says:
I was crazy anxious while we were getting it together due to the previously mentioned sleep differences. But I was so, so pleased it worked.
I’m so glad you were able to pull it off for little brother too! what an awesome tradition!
andy´s last [type] ..How to stress out the foodies
What a Great Idea – I LOVE IT!!!
Trina´s last [type] ..Smarter than the average bear
That is so flippin awesome! That would totally blow my kids mind. I might have to try a bedding set version of that or something next year!
Heather´s last [type] ..Santas favorite cookie
Twitter: firemom
says:
It could totally work with bedding! Great idea!
I will have to try that when Caroline is ready to move out of the toddler bed. It will be a few years though as we have the girls sharing a room for now and there is not really room for another twin bed in there. Plus I don’t think that Katherine would sleep through us assembling that bed just feet from her and transferring 2 would be just too risky!
Christy@pipandsqueak´s last [type] ..Trick or Treat
What a magical story! Awesome! I have tears in my eyes!
What a cool idea! Very magical for a child…
Mariposa´s last [type] ..Christmas Baby Bump
What an awesome magical surprise for your boys!
That’s so awesome!! I love the pictures of the progress and LB and BB in bed in their super cute PJs!! Love it!
That. Is. Spectacular! You guys are some serious magic makers!
burghbaby´s last [type] ..Rebecca Is In My Corner
Wow – that is rather magical.