The Best Roommates

Dear Sonia,

You and I were roommates for 5 nights this past week while you and your family were visiting Nana and Papa's house in Massachusetts. It was decided that we were the best roommate pair in the house. We are both just normal sleeper-people while Mommy and Daddy got Sage, who has been having trouble sleeping well, and Nana gets Papa, who snores and yells in his sleep sometimes. Other than you having an occasional bad dream and whimpering or asking for Mommy in your sleep (which was quickly silenced with a "Shhhh. Go back to sleep." from me), we were happy, quiet roommates.

Until about 7:20 a.m. each day. Which is when your little voice said "Auntie Karen, I'm ready to get up now," to wake me up. I would reach over and check my phone and sure enough, it was between 7:20 and 7:30 - my little Sonia alarm clock.

This morning, I knew you were awake when I woke up having to pee - I could tell from how you were moving and breathing. I checked the phone and it was only about 6:30. I got up and you looked up at me in the dim morning light. I told you I was going to the bathroom and I'd be back. You nodded. When I got back, I asked you if you were ready to get up and you said No. I asked if you were going to snuggle for a while and you said Yes. So I got back in bed. A few minutes later, I invited you to join me in my bed, but you turned me down. So I asked if I could get in bed with you, and you said Yes and moved over to make room for me.

You and I spent close to an hour in bed together. We talked and snuggled and faced each other on the pillow with our noses touching and our eyes too close together to see each other properly. I tickled you a little, and at one point, you turned over and put your head on my shoulder and burrowed into my armpit to get a closer snuggle. You held my hand and squeezed my index finger with both your hands, telling me I would never get free.

We talked about names and families and how some ladies change their names when they get married. We talked about how your Bear (who is named Elvin and the other Bear named Lily was left in Houston. Lily is 4 and Elvin is 10, but they are twins because they look the same.) is too young to get married. I asked you if I had a husband and you said no. You asked if I was too young. I told you nope, I was plenty old enough, but I just hadn't found the right person. You noted that Elvin hadn't found a husband either. And we talked about what might happen to your name IF you got married.

Two days ago, you woke with your regular precision, and was swept off by your mother to get ready for the day. I stayed in bed reading for a while. About 40 minutes after you'd gotten up, at 8am, you started down the stairs with Nana. As you looked into our room and saw me still in bed you said "I don't know what her problem is. Is she going to stay in bed all day?" This, of course, was hilarious. I said back without missing a beat, "Dude, it's not even 8 o'clock yet!" We told everyone this story for the rest of the week, since nobody has any idea where you learned that phrase.

So this morning, during our snuggle, we talked about staying in bed all day. I told you I'd done that before and you got the most amazed look on your face. Your mouth was a round O and your eyes got as big as saucers. "Why?" you asked. I explained that sometimes when you are sick you stay in bed and sometimes you do it just because you feel like it. You said you were going to do it and I told you you couldn't, lest your Mommy have an inane fight on her hands someday soon. I explained that your Mommy wouldn't let you and that you'd get bored. You seemed to buy that. (Call me when you are in college and spending all day in bed for the first time - it's glorious!) Anyway, finally, I tried to sing Lazy Song by Bruno Mars and couldn't, since I can't carry a tune, so we got out of bed to listen to it on YouTube, which led to the discovery that it is the weirdest video ever. (See it here)

I truly loved being your roommate, Sonia-ita. I told you we'd be roommates again at Christmas. And Santa came up. The assumption in the family is that you are not going to be thrilled about Santa coming into the house while you are sleeping given your reaction to the Easter Bunny. (See this) You asked if I'd be in "that bed" the night Santa came and I told you yes. And you clarified that we would not see Santa. I told you nope. Nobody gets to see him. He's magic that he can bring all the kids their presents in only one night. You seemed fine with that. Glad I can be your roommate and your sentinel all rolled into one.

It's quite an honor.

Love you so much,

Auntie K