Monday, April 12, 2010

Hush Now, My Baby

Ever had a baby who just doesn't want to sleep? They sit in there room for half an hour, quiet as a mouse and you sigh with relief thinking "FINALLY". You're in the clear right? Wrong. They've just been waiting for you to poke your head in the door so that they can say "HI MOMMY!" And then run to the door like you specifically went in there so that they could get out of bed.

Lydia loves to do just that. Every night.

I came home from work early tonight with a migraine. Lydia up and running around in her "princess" dress. Asking "Can I have this dance your majesty" and then bowing to me with her hand out. "Time for bed" says I. "But I wanna sit wif you" says she. Oh no. No.

So we changed her out of her pretty princess dress ("I just wanted to look beautiful" she said to me) and in to her cute fluffy snowman pj's. We waded through the toys in her room and made it to the bed where she jumped in it and plopped her head down on the pillow. "Read me a story". So I picked up her storybook pillow and read to her the story of Sleeping Beauty's quest to pick out the perfect wedding dress. Sang to her a few times. Kissed her and told her I loved her. Got her a drink of juice. And then said goodnight.

She hasn't moved.

SCORE.

Bed time doesn't necessarily need to be routine. Or at least doesn't need to be at the same time every night. What it needs to be is a quiet time. A wind down time. Don't put them to sleep in the clothes that they wore all day. Get them in their comfy pjs. If they ask you to read to them... read. It doesn't need to be a long book. It doesn't even need to be one that they understand. They just want to be read to. If you sing them a song, pick a short one. Because it's pretty much a guarantee that they're going to ask you to sing it again.




The one above is one of my favorites. And my girls love it when I sing this to them.

Pick your favorite lullaby from when you were little and sing it to your little princes and princesses. Sing it a few times. Rub their tummies or their hair while you sing.... they'll fall asleep (ok, maybe I can't guarantee that it's going to work every single time... but even if it doesn't, it helps).

Bed time needs to be calm. It needs to be quiet. It needs to be restful (yes, restful... even before you fall asleep your body is winding down for rest time).




This one used to be one of Alanna's favorites.

So, with Lydia in bed... and my head throbbing to the point where my brain feels like it's going to leap out of my skull... I bid you Adieu.

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