Up all night.

What grandparent hasn't kept a grandchild overnight and found that sleeping wasn't going to happen?

Now I expected to be awake a lot and very watchful when I kept my grand"babies", but I had hopes that when they got older, we would have a good time all day and actually go to sleep at night. Well.........

Elijah and Cameron came for a couple of days during the summer. We had a great time until one day I put in the movie I love and wanted to share with them... Lord Of The Rings.

Now these boys grew up watching Star Wars and what I thought were some pretty violent movies. They loved having light saber fights and pretend to cut off each other's arms. I thought Lord Of The Rings at least had some awesome creatures and magical stuff to enchant the boys. I was right and wrong.

We spent the day watching, and the night trying to get them to go to sleep.

Cameron said he was having bad dreams which I couldn't figure out since he wasn't sleeping.

I tried getting in bed with them and that helped, but as soon as I got up to get in my own bed, they woke up and started in again.

I did make it into my own bed at last. Then there stood Eli and Cam, hand and hand. "Grammy, we can't go to sleep. We're scared."

One last try......Worn out, they finally went to sleep.

At 5AM, I hear a few noises. I got up to find the boys in the living room watching------Lord Of The Rings!!!!!!!

"Hair of the dog that bit you" came to mind first. Then I thought they may be innately moving through conquering their fears; or they may be just boys who are drawn to risky behavior and new thrills.

I was kind of proud of them in some sleep deprived way. But I took the movie out and turned on the Disney channel.

And I have a great story to tell their own kids.