Routine

Each night with bedtime, Carter requests a story and then a song. Travis tells the story, I sing the song. Suppose I'm not a very good story teller, and Trav's not a very good singer. Anywho, Carter has started something a little new with the routine. He has me sing the ABC's to him each night, then we chat for a little bit, then I sing him another favorite song, and then he asks me to sleep with him for five minutes. Granted the five minutes consists of him counting to five then telling me I can leave.

Tonight the routine was slightly different. We did a song first, then the story, then he requested an encore of the singing group. So, back I went and we sang You're my swettie pie. I kissed a thousand times, then told him how much I loved him and walked out. As I sat down at the computer I hear him from his room singing the song. I smiled, and got the warm fuzzies. He loves me, he loves the little things I do for him. Somedays I feel as if I'm not making a difference within their lives, but in all reality... I am.

I'm thankful that he asks me to sing to him, and we have a routine. That routine is making memories, and I absolutely love it!! He told me while we were chatting that when he grows up and goes to big school next year that he's going to be a giant and I'm going to be a tiny momma. Tucker's going to be a tiny baby and if he doesn't watch out he'll "mush" him when he's walking!  Watch out Tucker... there's a giant coming our way.

As for TBear, we have a routine with him too. Except he's the boss in that situation. He starts to get a bit wobbly with his steps, kind of like a drunk man, then he starts to get more cranky, rubs his eyes, beats his right ear like a caveman, and attacks any bottle that comes within inches of his mouth. Doesn't matter if the bottle is empty, full, no nipple, he doesn't care. Just give him his cotton-pickin' bottle for pete's sake! Then we walk down the hall, his eyes start to do that flutter thing when babies try to fight sleep. I give him his big soft blanket, lay him in the crib and immediately he snatches that blanket over his head and bottle and that simply.... he's out. Not all nights are this easy, sometimes he'll yell "MA!" a few times, I'll go in and rock him (which I secretly LOVE), once he gets a little limp I just place him in his crib and we usually don't meet again until around 4ish when he needs a little snack to hold him over until morning.

These routines are ones that I remember from when I was a child. I love bedtime, not only for the peace and quiet that it brings... Ha Ha, but for the cuddle bugs it turns my little guys into. Then when they are sleeping I love to go in and just watch them snooze, so peacefully. I never understood why my mom said she checked on us several times before she went to bed and if she got up at night. Now, I know. I do the same thing. It's almost like an OCD habit, I can't put them to bed, stay up for an hour, and then go to bed without checking on them. I just can't do it. I have to make sure that they are both covered up, they are both comfortable, and just to kiss them once more and tell them I love them. Oddly enough, a lot of the things my mom did when I was a kid that I thought were nuts... I do now as a mom. Huh, either she's not so nuts after all, or I've jumped on the bandwagon!! :)

Happy trails, and good night!