Bedtime here has gotten a little hectic lately. Now that MacKay is commuting back and forth each day into the city, he’s home either after the kid’s bedtime or right when they are about to go to bed. We knew when we moved here that him being home later in the evening during the weekdays was a sacrifice we were going to have to make. And I’m okay with that.
While the girls are eating dinner, I get Macks ready for bed. I take him up to his room, change him into his pajamas, read him a book, nurse him, rock him, and then put him to bed. While he isn’t the best sleeper during the night, he is a rockstar when it comes to going to bed each night. He’s usually out within five minutes after I put him down.
Once the girls are finished eating dinner we go upstairs and take baths. This is new to our bedtime routine. Since Harlan always had the late session of preschool, we had leisurely mornings that allowed us to take our time getting ready and take baths. But with both girls now in school in the morning, our bath has changed to bedtime. I’ll admit that it’s tight to try to squeeze in the bath at night, but I know that if I were to try to do it in the morning before school, I’d be regretting it.
After bath time comes the big decision for each girl; which pajamas to wear to bed that night. The girls have a crazy obsession with pajamas. Every single time that we go to a children’s clothing store, they are always asking for a new pair of pajamas. I’ve never seen two little girls so concerned with what they wear to bed each night.
Once they pick out pajamas, they each get to pick out a book that I’ll read to them. Harlan is a big fan of the classics, while Avery generally likes the books with her favorite television characters in them. We read our books, say our prayer, give them each a kiss, turn on the sound machine and lights are out.
It’s pretty much guaranteed that at least one of the girls will come back out of the room for one reason or another. Either Avery can’t find her lamby or Harlan needs to use the restroom (even though she did five minutes before.) Any excuse they can use to delay bedtime, they do it. Once they come out a couple of times I end up going in there and tell them that while they might not want to go to sleep, they need to stop coming out. If they want to play, play in their room. Just as long as they aren’t coming out of their room. It’s then that I’ll start to hear them talking to one another and Harlan going down to Avery’s bunk to read more books. Soon after it will get quiet and I’ll go into check on them and see two little girls sleeping with books close by.
And that’s when it’s time for me…at least until Macks wakes up a couple hours later and I have to start the process of getting him to bed all over again.
While my nights are far from smooth, I do love seeing my kids in adorable pajamas. There is something about cute pajamas on little ones.
Gymboree just introduced its new limited edition play and sleepwear collection inspired by the World of Eric Carle. Eric Carle’s classic children’s books are some of our favorites. I could read them over and over again (and that’s saying something about a children’s book.) The new collection brings bedtime stories, The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See, to life allowing our little ones to wear their favorite illustrations while they play and sleep.
The girls flipped when they saw their new pajamas and they both instantly recognized Carle’s classic illustrations. This was Macks’ first pair of “big boy” pajamas and he couldn’t have looked cuter. I’ve been reading him The Very Hungry Caterpillar board book at night before bed, so this was a set of pajamas that definitely had meaning to us.
Great news! Gymboree has been generous enough to give one lucky AMITC reader a great The World of Eric Carle Gymboree Prize Pack! The winner will receive a signed exclusive Eric Carle print, a piece from the collection, and a Gymboree gift card! Enter to win by filling out the form below. Good luck!
You can also celebrate the collection on September 5th from 10am-12pm. Families are invited to visit any Gymboree retail location for caterpillar crafts and story time.
{Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post. We did receive pajamas and a Gymboree gift card for review. As always all thoughts and opinions are my own. This collection really is so cute!}
