My kids are great - truly, they are remarkable people. I like hanging around them, I love to snuggle with them and feel them close. That is, until I am trying to get to sleep. True, it was sweet to sleep together when they were tiny. They didn't hurt when they kicked. They didn't smell too bad when they passed gas. I used to love snuggling in bed with my girls when they were wee. They smelled so good, so fresh and, well, so tiny - if that even is a smell....
I remember being tucked in at night by my mom growing up. She had a wee prayer written on a card for Kara and I to learn and say each night. "Dear Jesus. As I come before you now, I pray that you will show me how, to do the things I do just right, and keep me safe all through the night. Please bless me Lord and then just take me as I am, for Jesus' sake, Amen." Funny how some things just stick...I will go to my grave reciting that one! I loved being tucked in. Sometimes my dad would come in and shove the blankets in all around us and mummify us. That was cool. I remember crawling into bed with my parents sometimes. Ah, those were the days!
Routine is important for kids. It keeps ALL of us sane if we know what to do, and what to expect. This has been very true of my girls for their bed times. Books are chosen and read. More if time allows, less if there has been "behavioural" issues or it's late. Jammies are worn (or not, Mikka prefers sleeping in the buck!) - teeth are brushed and blankies are found.
I grew up with my back being scratched. Even to this day if my mom is around I like to have her scratch or rub my back; I do, however, draw the line at her singing to me. My kids LOVE being "itched" at night. Kamrin likes to get a rub, Luci likes a tickle and Mikka wants hers scratched hard. I sing to them usually. The Lullaby my Mom sang to us or 'MLK' from U2. I used to sing that to my girls when they were being good and pickled inside me! After books and songs and back scratching comes our time of a quick wee prayer. Mikka, Luci and I HAVE to hold hands for that one. Kamrin...not so much....she's 12 you know...she is just TOO old for that!
Mikka and Luci share a room which has some positives and let's be honest, mostly negatives...but heck, whatcha gonna do! They giggle and fart and tick each other off. It's usually Mikka who pops off in 2 seconds and Luci then sneaks out to say "Yo What are you doin' Mama?!". Kamrin loves being on her own - she turns on the classical station (love that kid!!!!) and reads a wee bit and then I do the whole routine with her too. She's enjoying being the big girl of the house and not having to go to bed till much later. See Kam, there are some perks to being first born!
Where I draw the line with all this sentimentality - is having them sleep in my bed with me. If they ask, I often will say they can sleep on my floor. They love to camp there. But if it happens in the middle of the night - be it from a bad dream or some other issue, I will let them climb in as I don't want to wake myself up too much. BUT I do create a barricade between them and me. As much as I used to like to sleep with them, I now Don't! They are obnoxious sleepers. They talk in their sleep. Mikka ends up sleeping horizontally. Luci sucks her tongue and wakes me up when she can't locate her darn blankie. And the kicking - I often wake up bruised. Kamrin has learned the art of sleeping straight so she is allowed more than the others. Whoever has to sleep with Mikka in a hotel room obviously drew the short straw. Beware future husband...wear a mouth guard ...and a cup too...she is a kicker!!!
Sleepy time is a good time. A time to make memories. A time to be close and share about the goings on of the day. "What was your favourite thing today?" is what I ask each girl every night. I do hope they carry on some of our rituals / traditions for bed time and remember how safe they felt going to sleep at night. I just know I feel safer when they aren't in bed with me!!!
I remember being tucked in at night by my mom growing up. She had a wee prayer written on a card for Kara and I to learn and say each night. "Dear Jesus. As I come before you now, I pray that you will show me how, to do the things I do just right, and keep me safe all through the night. Please bless me Lord and then just take me as I am, for Jesus' sake, Amen." Funny how some things just stick...I will go to my grave reciting that one! I loved being tucked in. Sometimes my dad would come in and shove the blankets in all around us and mummify us. That was cool. I remember crawling into bed with my parents sometimes. Ah, those were the days!
Routine is important for kids. It keeps ALL of us sane if we know what to do, and what to expect. This has been very true of my girls for their bed times. Books are chosen and read. More if time allows, less if there has been "behavioural" issues or it's late. Jammies are worn (or not, Mikka prefers sleeping in the buck!) - teeth are brushed and blankies are found.
I grew up with my back being scratched. Even to this day if my mom is around I like to have her scratch or rub my back; I do, however, draw the line at her singing to me. My kids LOVE being "itched" at night. Kamrin likes to get a rub, Luci likes a tickle and Mikka wants hers scratched hard. I sing to them usually. The Lullaby my Mom sang to us or 'MLK' from U2. I used to sing that to my girls when they were being good and pickled inside me! After books and songs and back scratching comes our time of a quick wee prayer. Mikka, Luci and I HAVE to hold hands for that one. Kamrin...not so much....she's 12 you know...she is just TOO old for that!
Mikka and Luci share a room which has some positives and let's be honest, mostly negatives...but heck, whatcha gonna do! They giggle and fart and tick each other off. It's usually Mikka who pops off in 2 seconds and Luci then sneaks out to say "Yo What are you doin' Mama?!". Kamrin loves being on her own - she turns on the classical station (love that kid!!!!) and reads a wee bit and then I do the whole routine with her too. She's enjoying being the big girl of the house and not having to go to bed till much later. See Kam, there are some perks to being first born!
Where I draw the line with all this sentimentality - is having them sleep in my bed with me. If they ask, I often will say they can sleep on my floor. They love to camp there. But if it happens in the middle of the night - be it from a bad dream or some other issue, I will let them climb in as I don't want to wake myself up too much. BUT I do create a barricade between them and me. As much as I used to like to sleep with them, I now Don't! They are obnoxious sleepers. They talk in their sleep. Mikka ends up sleeping horizontally. Luci sucks her tongue and wakes me up when she can't locate her darn blankie. And the kicking - I often wake up bruised. Kamrin has learned the art of sleeping straight so she is allowed more than the others. Whoever has to sleep with Mikka in a hotel room obviously drew the short straw. Beware future husband...wear a mouth guard ...and a cup too...she is a kicker!!!
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