4:30 a.m.  The dew is on the grass, the sky just brightening.  All's right with the world.  As I dream I hear a scuffling sound - perhaps a squirrel running across the roof?  Then there's a soft touch on my shoulder.  I open my eyes to three-year-old David, my  wandering Angel of the Morning.

A week after David's third birthday, we had dismantled his crib and put together his shining new youth bed - a place where "big boys sleep."  He was quite pleased with his new pillow - the first one he ever had - and his colorful Sesame Street sheets.  At bedtime, he climbed into bed, we kissed him good-night, tucked in his old teddy bear, and left the room, feeling very smug about our grown-up boy.   But five minutes later, as we sat watching television, David appeared.  I took his hand and led him back to his room.

 "I no want to sleep in bed."  Oh, no, I said to myself. 

"But you're much too big to sleep in a crib.  This bed is so much nicer, and you have a pillow, just like Mommy and Daddy."

He climbed in again, and I stood outside his closed door, listening as his one-sided conversation ceased, replaced by gentle snoring.  I smiled. It really hadn't been so hard after all.  Somewhere around midnight I awoke to see David, like a little ghost, just inside our bedroom, clutching his teddy.

"Sweetheart, go back to bed, it's still nighttime."

Now what???

I got up, and as I moved away from my side of the bed, David popped into it - and he wouldn't budge!  Finally, his father carried him, kicking and screaming, to his own bed.  For many nights this scene

was repeated.  We tried scolding, we tried reasoning, bribery, but nothing changed.  We were exhausted, at our wits' end.  I tried to find an answer -   what was David thinking, and why was this happening?  One night I used a new tactic.

When David arrived as usual, at 1 a.m., and rolled his way into our bed, my husband and I got out of bed. 

"Now, David," I said, "you want to sleep in our bed?  Fine.  But Daddy and I aren't going to sleep with you anymore.  Daddy's going on the living room couch, and I'll sleep in YOUR bed.  If you want to sleep in this great big bed you may - but you'll be all alone!"

Twenty minutes later David was shaking me.  He wanted his own bed back.  My husband and I returned to our own room and got our first half-a-night's sleep in weeks.   My idea had really paid off.  It wasn't our bed that David had wanted, but our company.

It wasn't too many more nights before my Angel of the Morning stopped his wandering altogether.

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 Remember to keep that body moving!  When you carry the baby, or lift up a toddler, or spend half the day on your hands and knees picking up toys and cookie crumbs, that's exercise!  When you push that cart loaded with a week's groceries for your family, that's exercise.  When you're on the floor fixing the leak under the sink, when you're mowing the lawn, gardening, weeding, washing the car - that's all exercise!  You don't need to join a gym to get your time in.   As we grow older, however, we need to build some extra exercise into our life.  Walking is a great way to do this.  If you have sore knees

 or hips, and walking makes them worse, a really great way to get your exercise is by working out in water.  A water fitness class is so enjoyable, you really won't believe you're exercising - but it is very, very good for us.  And if you prefer to work out by yourself, just walking back and forth in the water for twenty minutes is a great workout.  A little soak in the hot tub after the pool, (I'm talking health club here), a nice shower, and you'll feel so good!  Try it, you/ll like it!  P.S., everyone looks pretty much the same in the pool - when they're exercising, they all jiggle, they all have wet hair, all their makeup comes off.  No one cares how you  look - they're not on the beach - they're working out!  So don't worry about it!  Enjoy!

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