I read a blog a few months ago where the mother called bedtime the whack-a-mole game and after last night I couldn't agree more! It's funny, but bedtime in the Dyson household IS just like playing a real life game of whack-a-mole (the kids being those pesky moles, of course). Every night it's the same thing, we start getting the kids ready for bed around 7:30 or 8:00 because we know that they won't be asleep till at least 10:00 *roll of eyes* My husband and I also like to stay involved in many other things so it's usually just one of us here at bedtime...and we try to take turns.
Here's the routine: The boys alternate bath nights so for example; my oldest is Monday night, middle is second night and our youngest (the princess) gets a bath when we can get her in the bathroom and she's still enough to sit in the tub for more then 2 minutes.
So last night it was the middle son's turn...after he got his bath, he then gets 10 minutes of TV time to just calm down a little...some nights there is absolutely no calming down and other nights it seems to work well...last night was one of those nights that it didn't work very well. I was upstairs filling the dishwasher and I thought all three kids were relaxing on the couch watching Rudolph...NOPE! I looked downstairs and it looked like a cyclone hit...(this was 10 minutes after I had cleaned the whole room) where did Kemp get the mop, is my question?!?! And where is Joey?ANYWAY... it was time to round them all up and head upstairs...the dreaded bedtime...when all I wanted to do is sit down on the couch in front of the fire and be quiet...just stare of into space, thinking about nothing...
I put the boys in their beds, tucked them in, got them ice cold water in their cups, turned on the night light, turned off the lizard light...I couldn't think of anything else they might need (even though I knew as soon as I left, there would be 100 things they would need) I kissed them both and said good night...now don't get out of bed UNLESS you have to use the bathroom then go straight back to bed. *This is the same thing said every night* I closed their door and headed toward the dreaded Emma's room...I got her some water, got her baby stuffed jaguar, stuffed tiger, stuffed scooby doo, put the stuffed Dora beside her bed on the rocking chair, sat the stuffed Minnie doll at the end of her bed and turned the turtle light on. *Just after doing all of that one is exhausted* She crawled up in bed and I started to read her "The Grinch" *I have to admit I skipped a few pages...but somehow his heart still grew three sizes that day* I tucked her in and gave her a kiss on the forehead. She sweetly looked up at me and asked me to sing her a song...I chose "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" I sang it really fast, probably a little too loud and through clenched teeth...I just wanted to sit down. Finished..."Good night Emma, Sweet Dreams..." I made my escape. I got an ice cold glass of water in the kitchen and headed downstairs..excited to sit and stare blankly at the TV. I nuzzled into the corner of the couch (I chose not to look at the room), covered up with the softest blanket and got comfy...BOOM! I hear feet hit the floor upstairs...First it's Joey, "Mommy?" Me: "Yes, Joey?" Joey: "I need a pencil." Me: "Why? Please go to bed." Joey: "I'm making Kemper's Christmas present." Me: "There's one in the kitchen, make it quick." He returns upstairs. I turn on the TV. BOOM! Kemp appears. Tell Daddy to wake my up to watch the meteor shower. Me: "we'll do, now go to bed." I unpause the TV as I hear him heading up the stairs. BOOM! Pause the TV. Joey appears: "I need scissors" Me: "In the kitchen, please go to bed." Unpause the TV...watch 10 seconds BOOM! Pause TV. Joey appears: "I need tape." Me: "Tomorrow, now go to bed." Unpause TV, 5 minutes of Parenthood watched. Emma appears. Pause TV. Emma: "Me not tired, Me can't sleep" She starts doing somersaults. Me: "Fine, lay down here beside me. Emma: "I forgot Baby Jaguar...*high-pitched squeal* I.NEED.BABY.JAGUAR. I go upstairs and search for baby jaguar...where did she put that thing, he was just here! I crawl under her bed...there he is in the back...get baby jaguar, go out in the hallway. Of course, there's Joey. "What are you doing?" Me: I'm getting Emma's stuffed animal, please just go to bed. Joey retreats...Kemp appears. "What are you doing?" Me: *through cleanced teeth and raised eyebrows* "Getting Baby Jaguar for Emma...GO TO SLEEP!" I've lost it now, my temper has surfaced...I stomp downstairs...here's baby jaguar Emma, please SIT down! Emma: "But me not tired" She says as she jumps on the couch...up and down, up and down, up and down...I sit on the floor. BOOM! Joey appears..."My water isn't cold anymore, I need ice...it's warm" Me: You know where the water and ice is. Emma: "Me wanna watch Dora!! Me wanna watch Dora!! Me: "It's bedtime! Dora is asleep." I give in to her demands...I'm so tired, I just want to sit down so I give in.
Kemp appears: "Is daddy home yet?" I didn't say anything...I gave him THE look...he retreated to his room.
She has passed out! We put her to bed, I return downstairs to watch a show with JD...
within 10 minutes I'm sound asleep.
I will miss these days, right???
That's a fun story. I think not having a bedtime for Kyra when she was little saved me from this. She now stays up as late as she wants on weekend nights, but there is a catch. She has to go to bed at 7 the next night, if she falls asleep on the couch. Meaning, she has to make to self propelled to her bed without me asking in order to have this freedom of no bedtime.
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