The Death of a Punishment

I try...I really do. I try not to laugh, but sometimes I just can't help it. Tonight I lied Dylan in his bed, gave him a kiss and said good night. Ten minutes later I hear the light go on. I walk into his room and he is hiding behind his curtain. I stand there...ready to say in a stern voice "go back to bed." But Dylan's little feet start wiggling behind the curtain and then he starts to shush himself after he giggles and I start to laugh to myself. Every noise that he makes is followed by a "shhhhhhhh!" It was so cute. Next he peaks his head out..."um...hi ma." he says to me. "Hi Dylan, what are you doing? It is time to go to bed." He responds with "what ma?" "I said what are you doing Dylan? It is bedtime." again he responds with "aaaaaaaaaaa....what ma?" "Dylan it is time for bed." "Oh......Did you have good ni-nights ma? ready to play with me?" "No Dylan it is bedtime."
"Oh...bedtime...okay ma." and he climbs into his bed and covers up with his blanket. This is where I just began to laugh, as if every other time I had said it was bedtime his ears were closed and now he was hearing it for the first time. His innocent sweet nature pulls at my heartstrings and makes me melt and the fact that everything out of his mouth is so funny is a lethal combination to all of my reprimanding plans. The way my kids melt my heart is so far beyond explanation...I am thankful for every moment that I spend with them, even if it is to tell them, once more, that it is bedtime.