sleep, sleep tonight and may your dreams be realized

The kids wanted to watch House last night, so Anne and I (and both our dogs and our cat) retired to our bedroom, where we watched The Sopranos on DVD (we’re up to the third episode of season two, so don’t post any spoilers or I’ll break your freakin’ legs. /toughguy) Around 9:45, Nolan came into our room.
“Aren’t you watching House?” I said.
“Yeah, but I’m really tired and I’ve got a test tomorrow,” he said. “I think I’m just going to go to bed.”
Nolan turns fourteen in just over two weeks, and I’m constantly impressed by the level of responsibility he shows. When I was his age, I never would have gone to bed on my own, test or not.
“That’s very responsible,” Anne said.
Nolan smiled, and walked around to my side of the bed. I raised my arms to hug him, but he knelt down to the floor, where Ferris was sleeping. He kissed her head. “Goodnight, Ferris’ head,” he said. She grunted, and happily stretched herself out across the floor.
He walked back to the foot of the bed, where he leaned down and hugged my leg.
“Goodnight, Wil’s leg,” he said.
I looked at my wife. She smiled back at me.
My cat was curled up in a tight little ball between our feet. Nolan stroked his ear. “Goodnight, Biko’s ear,” he said. He stretched out one little white paw and purred.
Nolan looked down, knelt out of my field of vision and said, “Goodnight, Riley Monster’s nose.” Her tail thump thump thump thumped against the bed.
He stood up and walked over to Anne. He put his arms around her, hugged her, and kissed her cheek. “Goodnight, Mom’s cheek,” he said.
“Goodnight, sweetheart,” she said.
Nolan stood up and smiled. He as he walked down the hallway to his bedroom, he called out, “I love you guys!”
“I love you too,” Anne said.
“I love you too,” I said. “Goodnight, Nolan’s voice,”
I heard him giggle as he closed his bedroom door.

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78 thoughts on “sleep, sleep tonight and may your dreams be realized”

  2. Kids are the most fantastic things on earth. Its conversations like that, that make everything we all do worthwhile.. Thanks for making me smile.

  7. Hehe… I beat thuderbird here too…
    From my perspective, even tough I went all sitcomish “awwwwww” while reading it, your story sound a little “too good to be true”.
    Is he going to ask for a loan tommorow ? Or tell you he’s failed the test for not studying ?
    Food for tought.
    Oded Sharon.

  11. Just wanted to post to introduce myself-for someone that has been watching you since we were kids (we’re the same age), I can’t believe I had the momentary lapse of brainwaves that resulted in not knowing of this blog! (I gots one too) Anyways, my husband and I have a 3 year old who friggin’ rocks, saying stuff like “you’re so pretty mommy”, and “isn’t dad a great guy??” I mean, who talks like that? He’s 3, you know?….but he too, like other awesome kids, come out saying stuff you would never expect to hear. Out of the mouthes of babes comes some of the best stuff on earth! Peace and love 🙂

  13. /bleary smile
    Thats sweet. He sounds like an awesome kid. You’ve got a great family, but you already know that 🙂

  14. GREAT MOMENTS IN LIFE, THAT’S ALL I CAN SAY! Enjoy them. Great kid, Wil, very sweet boy. You both have done a great job.

  15. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…
    You guys are probably the best parents I know (kinda) and you’re doing a great job. That story reminds me of my 8 year old daughter and how mature she is for her age. She does the same types of things.

  16. What a great sense of humor Nolan has. Good stuff!
    Hmm, somebody’s birthday is coming up this Friday… Happy Jeebus age!

  17. Awesome post, Wil….
    I came downstairs this morning to get ready for work. It’s summer so all the kids sleep in, my wife sleeps in (she’ll be running them all over town later each morning anyway), and I do my thing in the morning.
    This morning, my 5 year old is sitting at the kitchen table, her water color paints are out, and she is painting away on a picture.
    I get coffee, I get breakfast, and I sit to watch a bit of news before heading in.
    After working a few minutes, my baby girl comes to me, picture in hand, and says “Dad, I want you to take this to work with you.”
    So now, I have this beautiful water color rainbow with raindrops on my cube wall….
    Money? Yeah, it helps.
    Fame? Wouldn’t know, I’m an average joe.
    Kids who love you unconditionally? Priceless….

  19. Now I’ve got MLK stuck in my head. Not a bad thing at all, but I was planning to play some GTA and it just doesn’t fit with the mayhem and gangsta madness. 😉
    If the thunder cloud passes rain, so let it rain, rain down on he…

  21. I’m 29 years old and I still am not responsible enough to go to bed on-time…
    Sopranos is addicting, but you know what you have gotten yourself into. Just remember, Italian-Americans are pretty much nothing like that show’s depiction, it’s mostly fantasy with big hair – but that is the main reason I watch 😉

  25. What a sweet story. I’m new here and felt this was the best post to respond to and comment for the first time. I love your blog. You sound like you have a lovely family.
    Take care

  28. hey! wow, that was so cute. What adorable kids you and anne have raised! It actually made me go all goosebumpy! the humour of kids is something we need to cherish in this day and age, i think.
    thanks for posting that wil, it was beautiful.
    take care
    Rach

  29. If you have kids, you know what Wil is talking about.
    If you don’t have kids, you can catch a glimpse of what you are missing.
    🙂

  30. I have a friend who, when she puts her daughter down, takes her around to all the various objects and people in the room and says good night to each. “Good night, sink…Good night, Naiah…Good night, teddy bear…Good night, door…” I can’t help but wonder if Anne did the same…and if Scarlet (the baby) will ever do something as amazingly sweet as this when she’s 14.
    You know, he’s a 14 year old guy, and from what I hear, they’re not much on the sweetness. Either you got a rare one, or he’s dying of embarassment that you wrote this. 😉

  31. Dang, I so wanted to be bitter about an actor with an apparently very popular literary blog, but that was super sweet, and I also really liked your greeting message, and so I most sincerely apologize for thinking bad thoughts about actors becoming writers, because I was about nine million things before I became a writer myself, including an actor. (Although my short-lived acting career included highlights you may have missed, like me as an extra on As The World Turns – if you didn’t happen to be freeze-framing that day back in 1986.) I will be back, whether you want me or not.

  32. Dang, I so wanted to be bitter about an actor with an apparently very popular literary blog, but that was super sweet, and I also really liked your greeting message, and so I most sincerely apologize for thinking bad thoughts about actors becoming writers, because I was about nine million things before I became a writer myself, including an actor. (Although my short-lived acting career included highlights you may have missed, like me as an extra on As The World Turns – if you didn’t happen to be freeze-framing that day back in 1986.) I will be back, whether you want me or not.

  33. Wow, will you be my stepdad? If I had said something like that to my stepdad when I was 14 he would have kicked my ass for being a wimp. Keep blogging I dig you page.

  34. Flesh this out a bit and add pictures and it’s “Good Night Moon” for the “new millenium” (I didn’t just say something that cheesy. You just think I did.)

  35. What an awesome story! You are blessed to have step-kids like Ryan and Nolan and they are blessed to have a step dad like you. The relationship you all have is absolutely beautiful. If only more step dads(and moms) could be like you.

  37. Very cute story 🙂 Kids are amazing. It seems like they’re more mature than they were when we were kids. I know mine are. Mine are also waaaaay cooler than I could ever have been. I blame myself for that.

  38. How do kids grow up to be that sweet? I don’t have any of my own, but I have two younger brothers, ages 2 and 5, and they are the biggest brats in the world sometimes (I’m sure I was too at some point in my life). And yet, there are those times that just melt my heart… You are lucky to have such great kids!

  42. Yay! Boy’s can be so great! I have a 5 year old who can be a spaz! but sometimes he can come up with the greatest stuff that makes up for all those other times!
    Thanks for sharing, that made my day!

  44. Only my friends with kids “get it” when I tell them stories like this. Even some of them don’t, and I truly feel sorry for them.
    You’re a lucky guy, Wil. Not just because you have such great kids, but because you appreciate it… and you appreciate how important these moments are.
    It’s not just cute fodder for a Kodak commercial. This is important stuff.
    When we are old and on our deathbed, it is these moments we will think about above all others.

  45. I LOVE House!
    And commenting on someone elses comment, thats right! Your bday is coming up! We have the same bday. Happy birthday to you!!!
    and a relevant Houseism………
    Cameron (says something to the
    effect of): why didn

  46. As everyone else has said “Awwwww – thats so cute.” Although I am sure a boy of near 14 doesn’t want to hear that.
    I am currently going through a sweet spot with my near 10 y/o boy, after what seems like close to an 8 year patchy stretch, that was at times downright horrid. So I can relate to your pleasure at the good relationship you are presently enjoying.

  47. I am now officially more jealous of Wil because of his family then I am with the fact that he was in Stand by Me. Kids are great. I gotta get me one of those. No, but seriously, thank you for the touching story, Wil’s blog.

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