My sister kept Oliver at her house today while I finished up the painting (everything looks great, except the green wasn’t color-matched properly and we’ll need to do another coat). Ryan dropped him off right at nap time and received two or three phone calls from Rebecca in the 30 minutes following, asking for advice on how to keep him in bed to sleep.
Ryan suggested she be firm – maybe instill a little “holy fear”.
Forty-five minutes later Ryan received an e-mail from Rebecca. Following is their email conversation:
From Rebecca:
Those two babies are upstairs in Bea’s room. They are in bed together, but they are NOT napping. I just heard a few cries of anger and I walked upstairs to sort things out, but when I stopped at the door I heard. “I’m sorry, Bea. I’m sorry Oliver. etc.” They resolved their own little issue. It made me feel like we are all doing a good job.
From Ryan:
So, the holy fear of Auntie wasn’t enough to keep him in the pack n’ play?
From Rebecca:
The holy fear of Auntie isn’t worth squat.
I guess you win some and you lose some!
Have a lovely evening, and, eat some pancakes tonight in celebration of Shrove Tuesday!
>You tell Rebecca she is in good company. Last night we were at my folks’ house, and Baylor was kicking Candice in the stomach as the two of them sat on the couch. She very firmly and seriously told him, “No, no,” and the only response she got was lots of giggles and more kicking.
I don’t think they take their normally-indulgent aunties very seriously.