Creativity abounds

Yesterday, my kids all woke up way too early. I had just fed the baby, and the big ones were snuggling in Big Boy's bed. Since I REALLY wanted to go back to sleep, I put the baby in between the big kids so they could all snuggle together. (The big kids follow the rules about her so carefully, that I never have to worry about the baby when I'm out of the room.) Then, I went back to bed.

When I woke up again about 20 minutes later, I walked into their room to find that Big Boy had pulled out his bottom dresser drawer and was patting the clothes down into it. Since they often do weird things like this, it didn't even occur to me to ask what he was doing. I snuggled up with the baby, who was now alone on the bed (she doesn't roll yet). Then, I got a look around the room. My magazine holder from the living room was empty and resting on the floor. There was a dolly car seat in the bed beside me. Big Boy's backpack was on the floor as well. Here's what happened: They had decided that they were ready to get up and leave the room, but they didn't want to leave the baby alone in there. They also knew that they are not allowed to pick up the baby. They reasoned that since they are allowed to wheel the baby out when she was in her bassinet, why not when she was in some other type of carrier? Apparently, they had tried to scootch her into Big Boy's backpack, but "the zipper kept coming undone." The dolly carseat evidently didn't work either. I shudder to think of them actually trying to get her in the magazine rack. I don't think they really got to that one (whew!). When I came in, Big Boy was making sure his drawer was nice and soft for her when they put it on the bed and somehow scooted her in there. I think maybe it's a good thing I woke up when I did. But, I'm very proud that the big kids stuck to not picking her up, but it may be time to re-evaluate how we have presented the rules.