A Good Night Story

I wrote a while ago about how I had changed our nightly tuck in routine. After moving Saylah to her own room, I loved the opportunity to have one-on-one time with each of my kids. We are still going strong on this new routine and I still love it.

I start with Isaac, who wants a lullaby or two before his prayers and being plopped into his crib. His songs are not of the typical variety however, and if anyone else tried to tuck him in, they would be hard-pressed to know what he was requesting. He asks for “la la” which is the Smurf theme song. (Get it … La la lalalala, la la la laaaa) or “choo choo” – a song I made up:

Chuga chuga chuga chuga chuga chuga

Choo choo

Chuga chuga chuga chuga chuga chuga

Choo choo

I love, I love, I love

You you

I love, I love, I love

You you

Of course the usuals are sometimes sprinkled in there; minkle minkle (twinkle twinkle) and open shut them but mostly La La and Choo Choo are the big hits these days. (Now you know my super secret and amazing lyrical talents.)

Audrey likes a back scratch and to be read a story. And, sometimes she wants to scratch my back too. Saylah requests talk time, where we talk about everything from what she will sing when she’s a rock star to evolution and creationism.

This is only part of our bedtime story though. Each night, after our sweet time, the real fun begins. At least one will get out of bed (of course) and there’s always the request to turn a bathroom light brighter, crack a door wider, or change a CD.

But after a while and the more-than-occasional threats, they finally fall asleep. After a couple of hours of TV watching (the much needed veg out of the day), I head myself up the stairs to check on my kiddos one last time before I hit the hay.

This is my last little present of the day; my last gift from God today of the joys He’s given me in my life; my last little giggle before I fall fast asleep.

I go into Audrey’s room, tip-toeing over strewn out clothes and dressed up dolls to turn off her fan. Currently, she’s got a fort up on her bed, so I pull back the wall (sheet) and it’s always fun to see the scene set up in her bed. I can tell if she was tired or still had a little bit more energy. I can tell if she was nervous of the dark or too sleepy to notice. Typically, she’s taken to hanging her dream lite by its tag on the bunk bed slats above her head to serve as a light to ward off any monsters or ghosts. She’s usually wrapped up in a blankie that is two years too small for her that she insists on using that night. Note: it’s a different “special” blankie each night. And often she lies on her back, like her Daddy, which I find really cute.  I kiss her cheek and head on to Isaac’s room.

I can tell if I put Isaac to bed or if Ben did based on what was left in his crib when I go check on him. If it wasn’t me, he may have a ginormous Spider Man blanket in there or some random Barbie doll his sisters threw in there. No matter the tucker inner, his dream lite puppy and turtle are both always, always on blue (per his insistence) and his bink (pacifier) is always near his head. I always resist picking him up (well almost always), kiss my hand, gently touch his cheek with it, and head on to 

Saylah’s room.

My final giggle of night happens here. First of all, Saylah, if you don’t know her, is tiny. She’s just and idget. But she sleeps on a queen size bed – our hand me down when we got our king bed and used for our guests when they come in town. Her bed contains at least four pillows (two cover pillows and two real pillows) and then a bottom sheet, top sheet, comforter and soft blankie. Sometimes it has two more small throw pillows on it as well. Think that’s a lot? That doesn’t even account for half of it – I think there is an estimated 15 dolls on her bed and sometimes accompanying doll beds for a couple of them.

So each night when I come in her room, I first – have to find Saylah. You think I’m kidding don’t you? Seriously it’s like Where’s Waldo for my daughter. Once I locate her I have to make sure she hasn’t buried herself under her pillows. Then I take in the wonder of what her post-tuck in bedtime must have entailed.

She likes to build houses and caves and statues out of the contents of her bed. One night, I kid you not; she had created four “rooms” out of pillows and dolls. In each room some of the stuffed residents were placed. Others were used as pillars to hold up walls. But always Kaitlyn (her like-American girl doll), her American girl doll (whose name I don't recall) and Sunshine (a baby who she insists is a boy) are always in the “room” with her.  Another night she had every pillow and baby stacked up to create a cave in which only her head was under. I felt like it was the stuffed reenactment of a Looney Toons Cartoon where the rocks were going plummet down and bury her at the slightest sneeze. (She got pulled out of that one.) Two nights ago she had unearthed the body pillow from under her bed and was using it and it’s pillowcase as a sleeping bag … I suppose she and the dolls were having a camp out.

I know that each day is chock full of stuff to do, places to go, and distractions galore. I’m on a kick of trying to remind myself to be present with my kids. But I absolutely love that I get one more little bit of time each night to stare at them, enjoy their peacefulness, and to “listen” to the stories they have yet to tell. I am blessed.