bedtime prayers

bry and i are trying to teach asher to fall asleep on his own. since he moved to a big boy bed about a year ago (has it been that long already?!?!), he's needed one of us sitting in the rocking chair in his room until he falls asleep. for the past week, we've been laying him down, giving him a pillow to snuggle, showering him with hugs and kisses, and leaving him in his room to fall asleep. thus far there has been minimal tears and all has gone much better than i expected...until tonight.

bry puts asher to bed and a few minutes later we hear,

asher: MAAAAAAMMMMMMAAAAA! I WANNA HOLD YOU!
me: ut oh.
asher: MAMA! COME BACK HERE! DADDY!! COME BACK TO ME!
*i go into asher's bedroom
me: it's time for bed, bud. give me a big ol' hug and kiss and then you have to go to sleep.
asher: but i wanna hold you.
me: i'm sorry, asher, but you have to sleep.
*i give him a hug and a kiss
me: love you so much! good night!
*i leave the room

asher begins to cry, screech, and plea. he tries to sneak into the living room multiple times only to be returned to his bed. finally he wails,
asher: BUT I WANT TO PRWAAAAY!
me: oh, we did forget to pray with him, bry.
bryan: ok, let's go pray real quick.
*we walk into his room
asher: MAMA! DADDY! I WANT TO PRWAY!!!
me: ok, we're going to pray with you, bud, but then you have to go to sleep.
bryan: yep. you have to go to sleep so that you can go to school tomorrow and play with your friends!
*bryan prays and we tell asher goodnight one last time. he begins to cry again when we leave,
asher: BUT I WANT TO PRWWWWWWWAAAAYYYY!
*he's silent for a few seconds, then we hear the sweetest thing,
asher: but i want to prway...fank you, God for...in Jesus name i prway...fank you, God for asher, and mama, and daddy, and baby. i wike to go in da wiving rwoom wif mama and daddy, but i jus gotta stay here and rwest so i can go pway at school tomorrow. der's trwucks to pway wif at school and a pwaygrwound, but i gotta sit in da finking chair if i rwun in da rwoom. i wike to kiss my baby brudder, baby nate. and so...i gotta stay in my bed. mama and daddy say i can't get outta my bed again...

and on and on until he finally fell asleep. that sweet boy literally prayed himself to sleep. it was the most adorable, heart-melting thing ever.