It's ok to sleep at night...

Dear Little Ru,

Your mother and I wanted to make sure you understood a few things. First, it's ok to sleep at night. The bags under your mother's eyes may look funny and it makes you smile, but it makes your mom sad. Also, I have to stay up with you on the weekends and, although I enjoy our time together, it makes me realize what your mom is going through most nights.

Here are some sleeping tips that I've picked up through the years. Feel free to try any and/or all of these, multiple times if necessary...until one of them works. Please.

I like to think about things I need to do, you know, like chores. That usually makes me sleepy. Also, when you're able to eat real food, turkey makes me want to sleep...that, and copious amounts of mashed potatoes and gravy...and by "copious amounts" I mean the whole thing...and by "mashed potatoes" I mean Apple pie.

Count sheep - I know you can't count yet, but I have tried this and it does work...no matter how many mountain dews I have consumed.

Watching your mom's favorite TV shows puts me to sleep almost instantly. In fact, even now when you're cranky and Real Housewives of Beverly Hills comes on, you fall asleep within seconds. You don't even wait for the show to start, you hear the theme music and you're out. It's actually impressive, and I'm not easily impressed.

Homework - this put me to sleep when I was in college, but, may have had less to do with me studying and more to do with what I was doing until 4 AM the night before.

Work - similar to homework, where you are working at home - work is where you work at work...it gets complicated. No one explained to me when I was a kid how I could be tired all day at work and then at the end of the day after working all day I would get a bunch of energy. It's called "looking forward to seeing your wife and son". (See also Monday Night Football)

Well, that should at least get you started. When all else fails you can just shut your eyes for an extended period of time. Eventually you'll get the hang of it.

I know your mom would appreciate it.

I love you more than a cream puff on an escalator (cream puffs also help you get to sleep).

Love,

Dad