Daddy's Big Boy

It's been a week now since my son has started to fall asleep on his own in the crib.

Sigh. My little baby is growing up into Daddy's big boy. I'm the one priviledged with giving Alexander his nightly bath, getting him ready for bed, then reading him a few stories and holding him while he falls asleep. I think I take as much comfort in that nightly ritual as Alexander does.

Some nights it would take up to an hour and a half for him to settle into a deep enough sleep that I could put him down in his crib without waking him from his sleep. While those longer times waiting for him to drift off were sometimes frustrating, I remember telling myself not to get frustrated, to simply enjoy holding my little baby -- because before I knew it the day would come when I wouldn't have the luxury of holding him and watching him fall asleep in my arms.

Well, it started last Sunday night. While I was holding him he started fidgeting, squirming around, unable to find the right position to fall asleep in. I asked him if he wanted me to put him in his crib to fall asleep like a big boy, and he grinned, pointing both arms and legs in the direction of his crib. So I gave him a big hug (almost as if he were leaving to head for University already), kissed him (and Winnie, his cuddly sleep buddy, of course), said goodnight and sat in the chair beside his crib while he drifted asleep.

He's been doing the same thing for the past seven nights. Before long, he won't need me to sit in the room with himself to settle down in to sleep. He'll likely insist that I leave. I imagine I might sit on the floor just outside his door, listening to him settle himself down and fall asleep.

I'm very proud, and very excited to see my son growing older, becoming more independent. But also sad to turn this page and leave another chapter behind.