Our Nighttime Ritual

The main reason I blog is so that Catch will have something to look back on and see what his life was like before he could even remember his life. I want him to know about the simple things we did together that meant so much to Chris and me. For instance, I love our nighttime rituals. Don't get me wrong, I didn't always like them. It used to be so frustrating when we'd lie him down, and he'd immediately stand up and scream for us. I honestly thought it would always be that way, but now it is such a special time for all three of us. This is how it goes.

First, we ask Catch if he's ready for nite nite, and he always says yes (in his yes whisper voice).
Then he always grabs his binky (that's his little bear blanket) and his pacy (pacifier) and marches off to his room.

He always starts in my lap. I read Brown Bear, Brown Bear. I make the sounds to each of the animals (except the horse - it sounds really weird, so Chris does that noise). He always giggles when I purr like a cat and sniff him like a dog.

Then we end in Daddy's lap with Chris reading Goodnight Moon. He always asks "what's that?" whenever he sees the little bunny asleep in the bed. Chris always replies, "That's the baby going nite nite." The only part I have in this story is saying "hush" when the old lady's part is read.

He's finally realized that the baby is a bunny, and today while playing with his stuffed animals, he found his bunnies from last year's Easter. He's even saying nite nite now, and I call the bunnies his "Nite Nite Bunnies." Before bed tonight I told him to grab his nite nite bunnies, so he scooped them up and trotted off to his room with them.

He had to get up and grab both bunnies for the rest of the story.

I told him that it was time to go nite nite with his bunnies, and he stopped to pose before getting in his crib. Poor thing - I need to retire these pj's.

After we bless him, hug him, kiss him, and say our "I love you's," we put him under his blankie, and lies down for bed. He usually waves bye to us and then we leave. :0)

The other day Chris and I were talking about how we never thought he'd get over the screaming and fighting during bedtime. Chris says it's because he sees the baby bunny go nite nite and isn't scared anymore. Hey, whatever works, huh?!