secrets

After singing and story-telling Lorcan and Malachy to sleep tonight, Liam remained awake. I told him he should really be able to go to sleep by himself now and he agreed. So, I kissed him, told him I love him, bade him good night and made my exit. Seconds later, he was down the bunk bed ladder and behind me on the landing:

Mummy: Liam! Why did you get out of bed?

Liam: (upset) Mummy, I want you to stay with me. Come back and tell me another story.

Mummy: You've already heard three songs and three stories. Your brothers are asleep. It's late. I'll bring you back to your bed and tuck you in, but then I have to go. I've got some work to do.

Liam: (tone of genuine desperation) No! Please no!

Mummy: Liam, what's wrong? Are you afraid?

Liam: (tone of reluctance) I didn't want to tell you because it's a secret but, yes.

Mummy: But what are you afraid of?

Liam: The nighttime. I'm afraid of the nighttime. And that's not the only secret. (visibly nervous) There's another one. (deadly serious) The second secret is that I'm just not a sleeping person, Mummy, I'm not... I'm just not a sleeping person. I'm not even tired so I think I'll come downstairs with you instead of staying in my bed. I'm just not going to sleep.

After guiding him gently back to his bed, rubbing his head, making him take five or six long, deep breaths and whispering a handfull of sweet nothings into his ear (i.e. less than 1 minute later), my sweet "non-sleeping" boy was fast asleep

:)