Greg is away tonight so I was snapping photos of the bed time routine to send him. I realized halfway through that I should write about this because I love the routine and even though I hope it won’t – I know it’s all going to change when baby girl arrives.
Lyle is 15 months and Greg typically does this by himself or we tag team with Greg doing the majority of the work. Since his work days are long this is pretty much the only time the two of them have on week days and they love it. It is also helpful at this point because being 31 weeks pregnant and getting down to bath level is not the most enjoyable thing!
Here goes nothing …
Downstairs playing, reading, watching a little TV or chatting happily with dad and suddenly an unnecessary sad fit or the tenth eye rub indicates it is bed time. This is about 6:45 but can range from 6:15-7:00pm. (We aim to have him in his crib after 7 so if its 6:15 that’s when TV happens.) We simply say “Lyle are you ready for night nights?” And he walks to the stairs. I know. It’s crazy. My mother in law said Greg used to do the same thing when he was little but I didn’t believe it until I saw it with my own eyes. So up we go …
First the bath is run and the door is closed so sneaky sneak can’t get in. We move to his room to get things set – white noise on. Overhead light off. Side lamp on. Pajamas and diaper laid out. Towel acquired.
*this was taken at the end of the routine, so you’ll see 7:30 on the clock – this is definitely a late night for Lyle
Back to bathroom to strip down and get clean! Lots and lots of splashing happens. We give him a range of time in the tub. From 3 minutes if he is cranky and we are tired to 15 for when we are trying to drag out bedtime a bit. Usually bubble free in this house but he is not for lack of entertainment.
Next is the towel-scoop. I’m pretty proud of myself for figuring out how to do this alone. Greg gave me props for the trick. I might patent it. You’ll need a cute hoodie towel, a closed toilet, and a cute wet baby. Place the towel on the toilet with most of the towel bunched up at the top and only a little over the bottom edge with the hood at the top. Armpit pick up wet slippery baby. Plop on towel. Lift hood. Scoop baby and smell their good smelling bodies. Giggle in the mirror.
Next we are off to his room for the diaper-pajama wrangle and the paci-lovey acquisition.
Annnnnd it’s book time. Lyle usually tells us which ones he wants and will often read his own while we are reading another one. He has recently started snuggling closer and closer. I love this time of day so much. He is so active that this is the only time we get to snuggle.
After 3-5 books it’s a simple lights out and sing the ABCs as we walk to the crib and lay him down. (White noise has been on this entire time – it is an indicator that sleep is coming. He really enjoys sleep so I think he finds it very comforting at this point.) As for what is in the crib. About 3 months ago around his first birthday we introduced this blanket as a pillow and this blanket as his blanket to sleep under. It has helped significantly to keep him laying down and not doing as much rolling/crawling/walking in the crib that he was doing. He stays under the blanket a lot of the time. There are still nights where he moves a lot and it is off him but for the most part he uses it like and adult would. I think it’s amazing.
(this is not the A&A blanket, nor is this photo from the same night, but this is how I found him one night at 10:30pm – he hadn’t moved a muscle!)
He falls asleep in about 5-10 minutes. Mostly playing with his lovey in that time. And he is up 11-12 hours later around 6:30-7am. Ready and rearing to eat!!!
And this is what I enjoy for the rest of the evening:
moments pass slow 