Kiss of Victory

This post is not meant to be a shameless plug for Art in Bloom, the annual event we put on at the museum. It relates, I promise - keep reading! (Art in Bloom does happen to be fantastic and is free, just like our wonderful museum. There, I did it.)

Per the MIA's website: "Alfred Gilbert's commemorative sculpture Kiss of Victory shows a Roman legionary fallen in battle and embraced at the moment of death by the genius or spirit of victory." The floral arrangement next to it is meant to be that person's artistic rendering of the piece. I loved the arrangement - the photo doesn't do it any sort of justice. Here's the ironic part. I just saw this piece and the arrangement and have been talking about it a lot, when all of the sudden Chuck and I would be given our own kiss of victory, so to speak. We didn't fully FALL in battle, but close enough.Our kiss came in the form of a tiny sticker with a bunny on it. I wish I had taken a "before" shot of our recently added sticker chart - there were stickers all over it with one glaring exception - the "Staying in Bed" category. Jack has been trying to negotiate for us to put a sticker in there when he really earned it for taking care of his toys, but we have refused.

Last night - breakthrough. The kiss of victory was bestowed on us and Jack stayed in his room all night! He didn't touch the door handle once. I have tried to not to post every single day about the on-going frustration that this nightly ritual has become, but those of you close to the situation probably understand why I almost cried when I realized we had gone a full 17 minutes and he still had not come out - 17 turned to 23 turned to 36 turned to 57 and then I fell asleep. Blissful, quiet, door-squeaking-padpadpad-less sleep.

Granted, he might have just done this for one night, and it might have been because he was so ridiculously tired from 3 weeks of staying up until 10. But hey, we need to celebrate the minor victories. And I would like to think that our perserverance through this has finally worn him down.

Perfect timing for this milestone, given that Grandma Bernice is staying with us tonight and then we'll travel to a hotel to see two of the most exciting people in his life - Uncle Ry Ry and Grandpa! Ry Ry has confirmed for us that there are latches on the tops of the doors, so little Jack-dini can't roam the hallways knocking on random people's doors asking "what you doin' in dare?" Wish us luck as we take our circus on the road!