Sleep Pretty Darlin'

modeling her stylin' horsey bathrobe {Thanks Grandma Mary!} and perfectly pedicured tootsies!

Bedtime, in our house, is not a feared time of day. In fact, I look forward to it as the evening winds down, and not just because it means inevitable rest, but because of the special routine we go through each night.

First, there's the kiss to Daddy. It's exaggerated in a way that only a toddler can do, and after she expresses her love for her one and only Daddy, she runs toward the stairs, beckoning for her mama to follow.

Then we're off to the bathroom. Sometimes she says she has to go "potty" which is at this time a hit and miss. She likes to sit on her potty chair or the big potty, but gets very easily distracted. It's a work in progress :) But bath time is always fun, no matter what. I remember baths with my sister and making ridiculously huge "pies" and setting them around the outside of the tub. Ella loves bubbles, but she LOVES to pour and sort water into different cups, and clean her horses ears with a washcloth. Not only are we washing away the days mess of popcicles, cat hair, and cow manure, but she is so engaging and talkative and BUSY, it is fun to watch her and listen to her commentary.

Ella usually plays in the tub until the water is completely drained and only bubbles remain. She likes to lay on her tummy and splash in the suds. She'll stand up, express the most serious face and say that she's "cold", and I help dry her off. She usually asks for lotion and rubs it into her hands and belly, and sometimes on my face too.

And then, it's another favorite: jammie time! She loves to pick out her pajamas from the drawer, bring a diaper to me, and exclaim how "cute!" her selection is. Then it's on to the diffcult choice of which slippers she'll wear: the pink bejeweled princess ones or her minty green Tinkerbell flats. Once she's satisfied with her attire, it's off to find Daddy for one last bedtime kiss.

She'll usually try to sneak in a little playtime with the kitties or start up with tower building, which gives me time to get her room straightened after a day of play. Or we'll grab a little snack and a cup of water to fill up her tummy before she turns in for the night. I always find Horsey and blanky {her most trusted sleeping companions}, and once she sees that I've got them, she marches straight into her room, grabs her favorite bedtime books, and snuggles in my lap for some stories.

Reading with her is one of my favorite times. My guess is that most babies and toddlers love reading with their moms and dads, and Ella is no different. I'm so glad to take time out to read with her every night, to hopefully instill a love of books and learning. My neighbor and her second grade daughter always have a chapter book they read from each night, and I love that they still continue it even now that her daughter can actually read herself.

{And to explain the video, Ella is not really "reading" because we've read it so many times she has it all memorized. But, it's really cute to listen to her saying all the words. (and excuse her mouth full of her bedtime snack, which was sticky peanut butter toast.)}

And then, we say our prayers, sing a little lullaby, and I offer last minute kisses and snuggles to both Horsey and Ella. {and her toes if she's feeling silly}

{Usually} without a fight, she drifts off to sleep. Occasionally I'll hear her jabbering to herself, playing her harmonica, or hollering at me because a pesky cat snuck in and is driving her nuts.

I am so thankful for those few hours at the end of our day. Regardless of what kind of day we had, if it was supremely crabby with a short nap, or a blissfully stress and tantrum free day, it all washes away by the time I'm kissing her goodnight. She won't always be so little to snuggle in my lap, or even want to read with me, so I want to forever etch in my memory the way her sweet smelling soft baby skin hugs me and how her hair tickles my face when we say goodnight {even her sometimes snotted kisses}.

Oh, I forgot about my most most favorite part of the night: After I close her door, Spencer and I remind each other how sweet she is, and how lucky we are to have such a wonderful little girl.