UNDERSTAND OUR DILEMMA

Dear Spike:

We read books. We talk about your day. We listen to Teddy Ruxpin tell a story. We sing a few songs.

All told, it generally takes about an hour to put you to sleep at night.

But with 20 minutes to go before LOST, this evening, you started asking for your bedtime routine.

"Big girl bed?" you pleaded. "Big girl bed! Please! Please! Big girl bed!"

This is a problem. Your mother and I haven't watched television since we moved in together. But then we obtained a DVD recording of LOST. And, well, we sort of got lost.

I mean, how can you say no to a show that combines religion and science and mystery and polar bears all into one fabulous hour a week?

So you can understand our dilemma as the clock ticked down to 8 p.m.

"Big girl bed!" you continued. "Please! Please! Big girl bed!"

"How about we go play in mommy and daddy's bed?" I asked.

"No. No! Big girl bed! Pleeeeeeeeaaaaase!"

You mother lifted her finger at me and flashed me a "watch this" grin.

"Oh no," she told you, shaking her head disapprovingly. "I'm sorry, but you can't go to mommy and daddy's bed."

"Big girl bed?" you begged.

"No, I'm sorry," she said. "You have to go to sleep now, and you can't go to mommy and daddy's bed."

"Big.... girl...."

"There just won't be any mommy and daddy bed time tonight," she continued.

"Mommy and daddy bed?"

"Nope."

"Mommy and daddy bed, please?"

"Well..."

"Mommy and daddy bed, pleeeeeeeeaaaaaaaase?"

"Oh, alright."

It's now 8 minutes 'til LOST, and you're nestled in our bed with a menagerie of stuffed animals.

And you mother is my hero.

Love,
dad