Bedtime Ridiculousness

It started this past summer.

We were in Ohio for our summer visit and the four oldest shared a room for the first time ever.  Ainsley's been dying to have the girls move in with her, so we were curious about how this would play out.

The first night was typical.  Giggling, more giggling, moving around, books/lovies/pillows "accidentally" falling from the bed and therefore needing to be retrieved by getting out of bed, over and over and over again. 

Then it happened. Ainsley declared herself the Trips' Ambassador and started to personally escort them OUT OF THEIR ROOM to tell us something completely irrelevant or simply inform us they were going to go to the bathroom.  The bathroom was one door from their sleeping quarters.   They had to pass directly in front of it to find us downstairs.  We couldn't believe it.

Until then, I can't remember any of the triplets coming out of their room.  Occasionally we'd hear them jump out of bed, run to get something, then jump back in, but they NEVER left their room unless instructed and always called if they needed something.

And now?  Now we have this:

Thump, thump, thump down the stairs.

"Mommy, I can't find my doggie" (It was in her bed.  As.I.Had.Told.Her.) Or:

"Mommy, can you cover me up".  Or:

"Mommy, Lizzy said poop". Or:

"Mommy, I...uh...umm...umm...is tomorrow Saturday?".

And on. And on. And on.

So now we're in retraining mode, which means the rules have to be told and repeated back every night; a miniature family catechism.

Me: "When is it okay to get out of bed or come out of your room?"

Trips: "Only in an emergency."

Me: "And what is an emergency?"

Trips: "If we have to go potty, if we have to throw up, if the house is on fire, or if you and Daddy say we can."

Me: "Just call if you really need something.  We'll always come."  Because we do and it's important they know that.

Of course they feel the need to question what exactly constitutes and "emergency" and try, in vain, to offer up extra options (what if it floods? no. or we hear tornado sirens? no. if we hear a loud noise? no.)  We're three months out of the summer visit and I feel we're circling in on back-to-normal. I'm sure it will all go to pieces when the girls (+ Johnny as he has informed us "because I don't want to be alone") move into Ainsley's room. 

Work in progress.