Exhale

School starts back up tomorrow and tonight, my boy just couldn't get to sleep. For two hours, he tossed and turned, calling me upstairs to tell me he'd found a solution for the Christmas tree (take it to the chipper truck behind the library tomorrow at 3:30...???), asking for a drink, wanting me to cuddle him. So I did. We sang some songs, which only made things worse--he got up and started dancing in Vogue-like poses to the old Christmas tune, "Hey, Ho, Nobody Home."

"The cough syrup must be keeping you awake," I said. "Lay down. Just relax. Close your eyes."

He tried. He really did.

"I know," he said, finally. "I'll just lay here and breathe everything out of me. Except my name."