Claire
Did I mention that we hold the term "routine" very loosely? But this is sorta kinda how it usually goes. While I put Averi Kate down for the night, Claire either sits on whatever car engine that Spencer is working on, or helps him water the garden or pour bleach all over our weed-ridden yard, or else Spencer goes ahead and gets her semi-settled in the bed. When he puts her in the bed, he reads her a Bible story and sings "Jesus Paid it All". She will not allow him to sing more than one song. (Sorry Coach.) Then he tells her to stay in bed until Mommy comes in, and then bids her goodnight and closes the door. Which of course, is immediately followed by her NOT staying in bed. When I come out of AK's room I usually run smack into her and then panic and try to basically throw her back into her room before she exclaims, "Hey Mom!" and wakes up the baby. When I get in there, sometimes we read a few books, or a Bible story if Daddy didn't already do that. Then comes the request for the playlist of the night. These days it is the following: Jesus Loves Me, Zaccheus, You Are My Sunshine (sing that one 3 times, Mommy), Be Still my Soul, and "a few Christmas songs." As soon as I start singing, Claire interrupts me 17 times by saying, "I just need to tell you one more thing...Do you see a crack on that ceiling? Why does it have a crack? I wonder who built this room? Is God bigger than my room?" and so on. Until the point comes when I say, "Claire. Do you want me to sing to you? Then you have to stop talking." Sometimes we make it through the playlist; sometimes I give up; sometimes she falls asleep before it is over. If she is still awake when I leave, I turn on music on her cd player - usually Seeds Family Worship, starting with "Mrs. Amanda's Song" which is the one based on Ephesians 2:8-9. Sometimes she stays in bed, and then there was last night when Spencer and I turned our lights out at 10:30 with an unnamed 3 year old perched on the end of our bed staring at us.
Averi Kate
While Claire's idea of routine is nonexistent, Averi Kate's is as predictable as the sunset. Sometime between 7:00 and 7:30, she will seek me out urgently and demand, "Night night!" We go to her room and sit in the rocking chair. I nurse her, then read her 2 books (the same 2 every night - Lost Sheep and an Easter storybook that Nan and Popple gave her) and a Bible story. Then I start to sing "Tis so Sweet to Trust in Jesus." AK lays her head on my shoulder, then pops up and either picks my nose or pokes my eyes or shows me her belly button while I decide if it's worth it to finish the song or if I should just call it a night. I lay her in her crib, cover her with a yellow blanket, her thumb goes in her mouth, and I walk out the door. Easy peasy. Except for the part when she attacks my face while I try to sing. Talk about opposites. Claire would let me sing to her for hours.
Anyway, these are moments that I treasure and I don't won't to forget. So there. Now I won't! Or if I do, I have a way to remember.
Sleep tight, girls! I love you!
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