Counting Sheeps

A few nights ago Henry was talking in his sleep, as he often does.

"Why Maddy take my sheeps?"

He was pretty upset, but I consoled him a bit and he settled back down.

This morning, out of the blue, he said it again: "Why Maddy take my sheeps? Why she take my sheeps to her mom's house?"

I tried to explain to him that in fact Maddy did not take his stuffed animals to her mom's, that it was only a dream. I told him that sometimes, when we sleep, we tell ourselves stories or pretend things, but they're not real.

I thought I expressed the concept pretty plainly, but Henry appeared not to get it.

"Why Maddy take my sheeps?" he asked again.

And then: "Did Maddy take my sheeps while we was dreaming in bed?"