My sleeping beauty

It's just after midnight, so it's officially the last day of January, 2011.

My little Roo is having a restless sleep - just about a half hr ago, she started crying, but she wouldn't open her eyes when I went in to see her. She was dreaming.

We calmed her down, bundled her back up, and she rolled over and was quiet.

Then a few minutes later, same deal.

Rinse and repeat.

This last time, just now, Daddy went in to see if there was anything he could do. Madelyn gave him a subconscious peek into the movie playing in her dream world: "Piggies are (inaudible) on tv."

And with that, she rolled over and fell back into a silent slumber.

Because of this latest and greatest sleep talkin' that she's been doing, I decided I can't rely on just my memory anymore to keep these precious moments emblazoned in my brain, so here is a short list of some of the memories we have in the past couple of years of what our little Roo has said in her sleep:

- her very first instance of talkin' in her sleep, approximately a year and a half ago (wow, HALF her life ago!), was when she was well into her passion for the Mr. Men series. After having watched her Mr. Tickle dvd on repeat on numerous occasions, it's no surprise that her first audible dream had to do with that subject. Dono and I came in to check on a somewhat restless Roo in her bed, and while we were admiring her as she slept, she said, "No more milk Mr. Tickle." So obviously, either Mr. Tickle had already either given her some milk in her dream, and clearly she had had enough, OR perhaps Mr. Tickle was drinking more than his share. Either way, WOW!

- more recently, just after her 3rd birthday, Madelyn received a Handy Manny tool set from Uncle Robin, Taylor and Makenna. She LOVES this tool set. It is very loud. Dono and I don't care for it. ;) One night, just a couple of weeks ago, as we went in to check on her, I unravelled the blanket from between her legs and arms to cover her up, and she rolled over and said, "Handy Mandy" (because THAT'S what she calls her tool set!). Nice to see she's enjoying playing with that toy in her dreams, because as annoying as it is, if it were to ever "break", she'll be able to reconnect with it in the quiet of her mind!

- just last week, I couldn't sleep, so I crept into her room to make sure she was comfy and not contorted in any way. I picked her up (even though I'm not supposed to - she's just s'darn cute!), and her blanket was caught up in her little feet, to which she told me, as she continued to sleep, that she still wanted to wear her slippers. How sweet!

Then of course tonight's episode of whatever the piggies were doing on TV just makes me not want to sleep again - I would much rather sit awake in the darkness of her room and watch and listen to her breathing and wait to hear any more precious little gems she may decide to share about her dreams. I love these little insights into the mind of my baby!

Madelyn and her friend, Kangaranga Roo (sent with love from Grandpa!)