Nightime Routine

Brianna has for some time now employed bedtime stalling techniques. Everything usually goes smoothly getting ready for bedtime. We give her a bath then put her in her PJ's. She gets to choose which PJ's she would like to wear. Her preference is for those pajamas that leave her toes sticking out, she has somewhat of a love affair with her toes. And lately she always wants to wear her Pooh jammies that Grammy Dee-Dee made. Anyways, after she chooses her jammies we brush her teeth and then read a few books. Right now Bree loves to read her cars book, her sparkly shapes book, and her hippo book the best. Reading is followed by a quick bedtime prayer where we bless everyone we can think of, individually no less. Well, as I said all this usually goes pretty well until her body hits the crib mattress. Then she tries to think of as many requests as she can. Her newest one is asking for "bainty toes," meaning of course that she wants to be tucked in and wants her blanky to cover her toes. From there the list does go on..."Mommy, kiss Bear? Mommy, kiss Green! Dadddy, kiss dolly? Daddy, kiss Momo? Mommy, mommy, kiss Banna (Brianna)? Kiss toes! Mommy, kiss hands.." At this point we have kissed all of the 4-5 friends she insists on taking to bed with her, and Brianna herself repeatedly, the book she took to bed, not to mention usually several specified body parts on herself as well as her stuffed animals. (If we don't follow this routine she starts to have a meltdown. We've decided kissing a few teddy bear "toes" is worth a peaceful night!) Finally, we ease towards the door, reassuring her that we've throroughly kissed everyone and everything in her crib and encouraging her to kiss her friends herself if she feels the need. Nevertheless, we usually have to return to the side of her crib for one last insistent "Mommy, Daddy!" Then she will make one last demand, usually "kiss water!" And by this time we are so ready to go sit down that we both file back in and kiss her sippy cup dutifully, then her once more. Reassured her sippy cup is well loved she lays down. At last we shut the door and roll our eyes at each other and collapse on the couch.