Sweet Dreams

Toddle Along Tuesday - Bedtime Routines

Here is my first time trying out Toddle Along Tuesday! If this is your first time visiting, welcome!

This week's topic is...dun dun dun...Bedtime Routines! In our house, it certainly varies night to night, depending on Henry's level of tired-outness from daycare. Jordan and I have just instituted the "3-strike" rule to determine how tired Henry is, and it is pretty darn cute and hilarious at the same time.

If Henry does three things indicating he is tired, we call it a night and begin our routine. Right now, these include rubbing his eyes and/or laying his head down on any and everything he can find, whether it be hard or soft. Sofas...sure. Hard wooden coffee table...I love it. The changing mat on the floor...even better. But that really awesomely soft Phillies Phanatic Pillow-pet you got for Christmas? "No thanks..I haven't figured out how soft that is."

Once it has been determined that Henry needs to go to sleep within the next 10 minutes (usually no later than 6:45 p.m.) Jordan changes his diaper and we put him in his pajamas. This obviously occurs while Henry is wailing at the top of his lungs because he still thinks that diaper changes are the worst possible moment of each day.

We are also trying to being diligent in our before-bedtime reading. We read the same book every night for a week or so, allowing Henry to get used to the rhythm and words, since he still has a pretty short attention span for books. He often tries to close the book as soon as it is open. We are capitalizing on that by teaching him that it is equally as fun to turn the pages!

This week's book is:

This was a gift from my high school librarian, and Henry sure enjoys it! Not too long for our little guy.

After reading, we take him into his room, switch "his" iPod on so that he has soothing music, and turn on his fan for some white noise. At the moment, Henry's humidifier is on at night because his nose is so runny! Finally, we turn on his Glo-Moose:

Tuck him in with his frog blanket, switch on the video monitor, and shut off the lights. Say our goodnights, and kiss his sweet forehead. He is usually sound asleep within ten minutes, and stays sleeping for a solid 12-hours. He is a champion sleeper!!

Taken at nap-time, but the idea is still the same :)

..... And then in the morning, I have  this awesome face to wake up to!