Bed Time

There has been a shift in Mr. Renn's bed time ritual. Before recently I would have defined it as easy. 7:30 p.m. would come and we would head to his bed, get in p.j.s, read a few books, tell a story, say our prayers, I would give him a kiss good night and he would head off to sleep. Easy!

Now around 7:30 p.m. we enter into negotiations. Renn usually wants to watch one more tv show, play trains just a little longer, needs something more to eat or simply decides to be defiant and pitch a mini fit. Since he seems to WANT to stay awake we have even gone so far as to let him stay up super, super, super late (on a non school night, of course) but he still doesn't want to head to bed. Wild!

Once we do make it into the bedroom he begins the haggling process for how many books are read. You feel guilty telling your kid that you will only read 3 books since we are now at an hour past bed time. Once the reading, story telling and prayers are complete Mr. Renn pours on the " I love you, Mommy!", "Don't leave me, Mommy!", "Let me give you kisses and hugs", "Stay with me, please". I am guilty of loving his sweet hugs and words of kindness that I stay. We fall asleep. I know it is a terrible, terrible habit but I also know I won't be able to have these moments for long. When he snuggles in and says "I love you!" I melt and all the antics he has pulled  prior to bed are forgotten. Oh, bedtime!