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| The three-year-old |
Bedtime has been the other big challenge. Typically, we’d
“divide and conquer” — I’d put the baby down and he’d read to our
three-year-old and the whole thing would be done by 8 p.m. This week, I’ve nursed
and rocked the baby down around 7:30 p.m., then immediately started the process
of getting the three-year-old to bed.
And it is a process! First I have to get her up the
stairs, not easy when she doesn’t want to go to bed and goes all limp-noodle
arms on me. You try carrying an unwilling 30 pound three-year-old up 17 stairs
and see if you’re not winded! Then I have to get her to brush her teeth without
sucking all the toothpaste off the toothbrush or spilling water down her shirt.
Once I finally get her to sit in my lap after she’s spent five minutes making
faces at herself in the mirror, we have ten minutes or so of peace while I read
her a story or two (which I actually love). Then comes getting her in the bed
and tucking her in. I’ll ask for a hug and a kiss and she will wrap her little
arms around my neck and give me a hundred slobbery kisses (my absolute favorite
part of the process). Once I’ve extricated myself from her grasp, I turn out
her light and say I love you and close the door. Usually, within five minutes
of closing that door — just enough time for me to sit down and turn the TV on
to see what’s on the DVR — she comes out of the room to say she has to go
pee-pee. Sigh.
Most nights I’ve been lucky to get a half hour of “me”
time before falling exhausted into bed.
Not that I don’t love being a mom, because being with my
kids truly is the best part of my day. It’s just that this week has been harder
than usual without my parenting partner there to help keep the chaos to a
minimum. I suppose like all things in life, I will get used to this new
routine.
But today, I am truly thankful it is Friday!
