Into bed they go....

My kids fell asleep at 8pm! I repeat...my kids fell asleep at 8pm!!! This is a big deal for me since my kids like to find every possible way to stay up later then they should. "I need water", "I have to pee" and "there's a bug on me" are regular things said to try and get a few more minutes awake. I don't get it. I don't understand how any child wants to fight sleep. I can understand if a kid has napped for a long time or napped late in the day and just can't fall asleep but when I look at my kids, rubbing their blood shot red eyes, after running wild all day, I just know that if I got them to put their head on the pillow they would knock out. Each night it's the same routine for the most part. We finish dinner and try to get up stairs by 7:45-8pm. All of a sudden, once it sets in that mom and dad are getting them off to dream land, my kids start acting crazy as if someone handed them pixie sticks and cotton candy. One kid is bouncing on the bed, the other kid is running in circles laughing and the baby is crying. Great times! I find myself formulating a plan on how to end the madness but sadly enough my plan often fails. Tonight was different though. Tonight was smooth and easy. I was almost like a super hero with super hero powers. I had eyes in the back of my head, catching the mischief that was behind me. I could fly; soaring across the room to diffuse a scuffle and bring calmness to a house that normally is engulfed in total chaos.

My husband planned to make dinner while I got them to sleep that way we could actually have a moment to talk and sip some vino. I amazed him that I came down stairs 10 minutes later. Even though we usually eat with the kids it was nice to eat later, in absolute quite. We whispered, trying to not wake the kids, as if we were high school students trying not to wake our parents during a forbidden midnight rendezvous. My husband made Korean short ribs and rice and for once I was able to actually enjoy my meal, tasting all of the flavors of the food instead of quickly inhaling what I could. Normally we would still have little voices in our ears telling us a million reasons why they need to be up and that they would be SO happy if we let them. As much as I try to be firm with the bed time routine I can't help but to laugh at their efforts and sometimes find myself sitting up in bed with them pretending to be a race car driver, falling behind my son and daughter winning first place. Although I cherish these times I know it's important to have time alone with my husband and so we try to make early bedtimes happen.

Not only do we try and make bed times early but recently our bed sharing has changed as well. My two oldest children have graduated from mom and dads bed to their own. I was terrified to let this happen but knew that it was time for the change. We have co-slept since our four yr old was a baby and so I felt as comfortable with it as the kids. I was use to waking to their faces next to me, feeling their breath as they exhaled. I was use to the warmth of their little bodies and the gentle sounds of snoring. I was also use to the kicking and squirming and although I didn't mind too much it is the increasingly growing body of my four year old that made me realize a change was needed. When he kicked it hurt and when he rolled over it was usually on me. "I think it's about time" my husband said as he pointed to my sons room. And so it happened.....My kids beds were placed beside each other, so they would feel comfortable being away from mom and dad, and I tucked them in. It was a bittersweet moment for me. They are surprisingly doing well being in their room and I think that I'm probably having the harder time. So now if I can get them in their room consistently, have them fall asleep early...consistently AND find a way to not have difficulty with this change things will be great!! Tonight went smooth and I loved the fact that it did but tomorrow may be a replay of pixie stick and cotton candy eating kids and a mom desperately trying to get them to fall asleep. Whatever tomorrows night time schedule brings I'll be ready for it....or at least I hope I'll be.