The last baboosh

Well, we've decided it's time to end Sam's relationship with his babooshes. He had three and I thought we'd try the "baboosh fairy" trick to get him to part with them one at a time. I thought that way he'd have some say in giving them up, like he can decide whether to put out a baboosh or not. We started Monday, Sam left a baboosh outside his bedroom door at bedtime and when he woke up in the morning he was greeted with a new car. Ken and Cheri watched the kids Tuesday night while Jason and I went to the Twins game, so no baboosh was left out that night. Last night Sam decided to leave out another baboosh. Now we're down to one.

I was fairly sure he wouldn't part with it easily, but I decided to test the waters to see what he was thinking. So today we were coming home from the Y when I told Sam that maybe if he gave up his last baboosh he'd get Mac, which is the trailer truck that hauls Lightening McQueen around. Three weeks ago a little boy brought Mac to our playgroup at church and Sam's been talking about him ever since. Much to my surprise Sam said, "Ok mommy." I wasn't sure he fully understood the implications of giving his last baboosh up, so I said, "You know you won't get any more babooshes to sleep with at night. Sam said, "Just baa baa." So he did get it. Wow. My testing the waters showed that he was apparently ready to give up his last baboosh and he understood the implications of his actions. So when we got home I made a quick call to Jason asking him to pick up Mac from Target on his way home from work, just in case Sam really decided to give up the last baboosh.

We had lunch, then off to nap. Matthew went down fairly easily, then Sam and I read a few books, I tucked him in and sang a bit, turned on his nap music and left his room. I went to my room, when a few minutes later I heard Sam's door open. Frustration rose up in me as I thought, "here we go again." Sam hasn't been leaving his room like he was in previous weeks lately and I thought we were done with that. But his door opened and I thought another struggle with nap and bedtimes would ensue. I waited a minute or two and didn't hear anything from Sam, so I decided to check on him. When I got to his room I noticed his last baboosh outside his door. Awwwww. I went into his room (his door was slightly open) and he was trying to cover himself up. I asked Sam what he was doing and he said he was leaving his baboosh for the baboosh fairy. Awwwww. I about cried. I said he could have his baboosh for nap and that the baboosh fairy only comes at night. He retrieved his last baboosh and I tucked him in. I just heard from Jason. He already picked up Mac at Target.