Creature of Habit

I get to put the Nugget down most nights - it is our special time to hang out after dinner and spend some time together.

After we eat I tell Liana that we are going to go take a tub and she says gets her blankie says "stairs" and heads to the stairs so we can go up and start the process of going to bed. She loves to run around upstairs naked ("nake", as she calls it) while the water is running and the tub is filling up.

She will spend time coloring in the tub (fancy crayola crayons designed for the tub) and filling filling up and pouring water out of pitchers and cups and playing with her toys. there is lots of kicking and practicing of her swimming moves and I end up quite wet - the Nugget laughs hysterically and thinks this is funny.

Sometimes she just stands up and says "out" and wants to get out - other times she will sit there until all the water is drained out. She gets in her "ribbit" which is the froggy towel and we wrap her up tight and go to her bedroom, after she kisses the baby (aka Liana) in the mirror.

We put her diaper on and get her dressed and then sit down to read and sing. She has her bubba or bottle of milk and lately it has been a steady diet of "Where the Wild Things Are", "Peekaboo Baby", and "I love you Through and Through". Believe me, I ask her what she wants to read and she will say "no" or "yeah" - if you ignore her wishes she will say "no, no, no". She definitely knows what she wants. After we read the books we brush her teeth - a difficult and onerous task, however I always laugh when she takes the toothbrush and touches it to her tongue. The Nugget lets out a giddy laugh as she tastes the paste and will often ask for "more".

We then fold our hands and pray and the Nugget echoes my "Amen" with her own and then claps and says "yaaay". Then it is singing time and although daddy's singing voice is not that great the Nugget doesn't seem to mind. She now will sing with me (the La, La, La part of "Sing") and will ask me to sing about random things - including rabbits, apples and noses.

I tell her she is going into her crib and lately she has been very receptive and sometimes will tell me "crib" when she is ready to go. A few weeks ago she would say "sit" or "no" and want me to spend more time before putting her in the crib. I make sure she has her blankies, her bink and then I cover her up with her "hoo-hoo" blanket (it has owls all over it). After that I ask for a kiss and The Nugget gets up on her knees and puckers up with her bink in her mouth and lets me kiss her. then she turns on her aquarium and puts her head down for nite-nite time.

I love these times with Liana and know that they won't last forever ... even if she doesn't sleep all through the night or if she wakes up really early it can be frustrating but the bedtime routine is special and fun.