“Here.” The child hands you the worn lovey. “I made them a bed.” They nodded. “So they can be nice and cozy, like me!”

“Oh.” Your eyebrows raise as you smile. You tuck the toddler back into bed, snuggling the blankets to their neck. They wiggle, laughing as they playfully turn their face to avoid your kisses. You get them anyways, bringing happy giggles.

“Well, if you made a bed, where is it?” you ask, holding the little animal’s tiny body. You are surprised that they won’t be sleeping with it tonight. They had been inseparable from it since they were a year old. “They are growing up so fast.” You think to yourself, a little sadly.

“Over there!” The toddler sits straight up in bed, carefully tucked covers flying everywhere. You look where they are pointing and see the black and white homemade toys on the floor. They have been arranged in a slightly crooked rectangle, creating a frame around a mattress of shredded tissue paper. You cough, “I see you borrowed the kitchen sponge for a pillow.” You reach towards it, “I was wondering where that went.”

“No! No! It’s a pillow! Please don’t touch it!” the child cried. You hesitate, touching its dry surface. Nodding, you say, “Ok. We can use it for a pillow tonight.” You start to settle the lovey into its bed, whispering to it, “You are lucky it wasn’t wet. You would have slept without a pillow tonight.”

The child watches you anxiously, ensuring the wee toy is safe and comfortable. When you are finished with your ministrations, they sigh and clap. “Hooray! Now they are toasty and warm!” They look at their arms and the neglected pillows, then wrap their arms around themselves, pretending to shiver.

You smile. “You Goofus, let’s tuck you in again.”

And the bedtime ritual of cuddles, snuggles, and kisses starts happily again.