Rock A Bye Baby

Why is bedtime so trying? Is it just my kids or are all kids this way? By the time bedtime rolls around, I am just beat. I mean how can these little people just suck the life right out of ya? They have some alien powers that just drain your energy level and leave you zapped and like a limp noodle. They also scramble your brains, but that's another blog.

First, I have to wrestle the twins into their PJs and that usually breaks me out in a sweat because it's so physical to change them right now. Then they don't want to climb the stairs under their own power to their beds so they run away from me and laugh their cute little behinds off. When I finally catch one, the other one is high tailing it the other way. Eventually, I just drag one up at a time and toss them into their cribs. Then, I grab the toothbrushes and scrub them down in the crib, mind you, so they can't escape, before flinging an "I love you! Good night!" their way and some kisses and leaving. Then the cries ensue.....

Second, I beg, plead, yell, scream to get the older two in the tub/shower. By the time they're done playing, washing, and fighting with each other, my blood pressure has about bust an artery. We dry off, find PJs that are suitable for the night (and if I pick them out, they are most definitely not suitable), again argue with the brushing of the teeth, and then the bartering begins.

"Mom, can I read you a book?" asks Quinn. "If she gets a book, I get a book too", says Lydia. "Mommy, can I have two books? asks Quinn. "Me too!?" asks Lydia. I take a deep breath and answer, "Yes, Quinn, you can read me a book, but a short one. Yes, Lydia, you can have a book too. No, one book is enough tonight." I would rather read them both the same book and be done with it, but you can't really tell your first grader who's so proud she's learning to read that she can't read to you. It's a sticky situation.

Once they're read to and tucked in, kissed properly, shook up, bounced and all the other gimmicks of a bedtime routine, I shut off the lights and leave. It is a rare night that no one gets up two minutes later for a drink, a lozenge because their throat is itchy, a re-tucking in because they weren't tucked in right the first time, or the "I can't sleep" ploy.

There are days that I think, I should start this whole debacle after dinner so I can actually get them to bed on time. What a concept? It's 6:00 pm and we're bathing to get to bed and asleep by 8:00pm.

I know, I'm whining. I know these days are fleeting. Someday, I'll wish they wanted me to help them go to bed or read books at night. I also know that summer is coming and it's only going to get worse. Brace yourself, the best is yet to come.