Night Fever.

The two year old has been dressing herself. Not particularly significant for a two year old.
It's a change for me as a parent. The seven year old has no volition about clothes.
I can still pick and lay out her clothes for the next day.
She would be quite happy if I put her in them too.

Not so, with the two year old. She is very clear about her outfit choice and very assertive of her desire to do it herself.
It's great, I like it (mostly.)

Here's the catch - you knew I had a catch.
She's been doing it at night.
Much more impressive.

She selects her PJ's and puts them on. She selects which of her three blankets will get the honor of being on her and not on the crib rail.
We 'discuss' the sleep sack - which I say is "not a choice" and she says it should be.
She wears the sleep sack.

Lately, when I check on her the sack has been discarded.
I am willing to allow this little defiance. However, I know she'll get cold later so I pop her back in it and she usually doesn't wake up to protest.


A few nights ago when I checked on her I noticed something.
I thought I had put her in her snowman pj's and there she was, sleeping angelically, in her monkey pj's.
At the time, I remember thinking I must have been mistaken.

A few nights later I found her in a purple sleep suit. I know for sure I didn't put that on her.
I open the drawer and sure enough my neatly folded piles are now a carnage of clothes.
Hmmmmm.

To get to the drawer she has to reach through the crib bars and get to a handle about 3 feet away. Her arms are not three feet long. Devious.
She also, I thought cleverly, had closed the drawer having inserted the discarded jammies inside.
Covering her tracks. Not usual two year old behavior. Two year olds usually leave a blazing trail of their actions.

I am secretly delighted by her genius. She does all of this without me hearing a thing. I say nothing - allowing her the glee of feeling she is succeeding in her subterfuge.

Last night she took it to a whole new level.
I found her in a completely different sleep outfit but back in her sleep sack.
There was no sign of disturbance in her drawers.

When she got up this morning and the sleep suit was removed she had a whole outfit on underneath.
A gold sparkly top, red velvet skirt (with sequin detail), jeans AND socks.

Her delight was delicious.
'I am ready for the day!" she exclaims.
I'm thinking she's ready for an 80's nightclub but hey - pick your battles.