Yesterday I got Miguel his first bed. Well technically I just had Dennis's old trundle bed transferred from the "pink" room. It all started Sunday, when during his supposed naptime I told Miguel that he would have to get his own bed soon. I suggested that since he didn't have his own room yet, we could probably put in a separate bed for him, next to mine. To this he replied, "I want my own bed now!" I was pleased to hear him say that, but since we were all set to swim after the nap I promised to move in the bed that evening. But the day was quite busy, so at bedtime, around 10 pm, he still didn't have his own bed. And he reminded me, "Why didn't you keep your promise?" Oooh.
So the next morning, after I had sent him off to taekwondo class, I announced to my mum and bro that I was transferring the trundle bed to my room. "That's temporary, right?" my brother asked. "Of course," I said. I'd rather give him a decent bed in his own room, but that's not up to me at the moment. To be honest I jumped at the opportunity to get him his own bed. He does love me with a passion and I love him to pieces, but sometimes I pause to ask myself if our affection goes too far. No malice intended but I do suspect that he's already on his way to discovering his sexuality.
Questions about the marriage vs. family bed will come up in the future and I want to head them off as early as now. I moved out of my parents' bed in grade school and since then I've always believed that kids ought to have beds, and rooms, of their own. Besides, too many smells in one mattress or one pillow always bothered me. And while Miguel always smells nice at bedtime - well, I'll always accept him even if he doesn't smell so "fresh" - I do want him to learn to stand (or sleep) on his own.
It didn't take long for me to take out the 6-foot-long writing desk from my room. After a bit of sweeping Aida and Flor rolled in the trundle bed. Got rid of the rocking chair too. It was a vestige of his babyhood, but I kept it for so long because it was so comfortable to sit in while we talked. Did a bit of rearranging and then surveyed the room. Two beds. No more side table. No more lamp. No more rocking chair. Looks good. I was going to be an hour late for work but I think it was well worth it. I couldn't break my promise a second time, could I?
When I got home my sister had rearranged Miguel's bed so that the head was against my bed and one side against the wall. I was pleased to learn that he had already used it for his nap; he was so excited to be a big boy. That night we slept in our respective beds, but in the darkness he asked me to hold his hand while he drifted off to sleep. I was only too happy to reach my hand over the edge of my bed to do so. In fact he fell asleep much faster than he would if he had been beside me.
My baby's growing up so fast.
P.S. At around 3 am I woke up to a cluttering thud that I can only describe as "TUGUDUGDUG!" Miguel fell off his bed, got back on, and as I lay beside him, fell asleep. Then I went back to my bed, a smile on my face.
