Do you count down to bedtime?
It doesn’t happen every night. Some nights we’re so busy playing that we slide smoothly into bedtime, without too much fuss (no more than you’d expect from a normal 2 year old anyway).
And then there was last night. Where I started the count down to bedtime fairly early in the day. And where at one point I wasn’t sure whether we’d make it there without tears (mine not his).
I’m pretty sure it was the result of a very slow day. All of us were feeling pretty low, the weather was windy and feral and we had retreated on the couch for most of the day.
By 4’oclock, Eamon was pretty much over it.
He was melting down over the fact that his milk was too cold, too warm, too empty.
He wanted ‘my whistle’ (which we had foolishly given to him earlier in the day and soon realised our mistake, but he didn’t forget…)
He wanted help putting his pants back on, then would shriek ‘no – my do it!’. Then he hid his pants and lost it over the fact that he couldn’t find them.
He spat pieces of pear all over the floor making deliberate patterns.
I built him a cubby house in the lounge and he proceeded to jump on it and destroy it, then cry that it was wrecked.
His response to every question was ‘no way!’ (Not sure who taught him that but if I find them…)
Half an hour before his usual bedtime I decided we’d both had enough of each other after he started spitting his milk (usually his most precious, favourite drink of all time) out all over the floor.
And then the requests started…
He needed water, to go to the toilet, he wanted his Dad. He wanted me to go away, he wanted me to come back and lie down.
I had been counting on a few hours after he had gone to bed to do some work as Andrew was working late. Which I’m sure was my main problem, it’s like he has some sort of radar for my free time and does everything in his power… Ok yes I realise I’m talking about my 2 year old like he has some sort of genius psychic power… but I swear he could smell it!
But after we started into the 2nd hour I gave up completely and went to sleep beside him. When I finally woke up at 9’Oclock, he had crashed (I’m not actually sure when because I fell asleep first whilst he was busy telling Elmo off for being too loud and not going to sleep!)
Some days the countdown to bedtime is longer and harder than others. But then they finally crash out and you look over at them sleeping and wonder why you wanted this perfect peaceful creature to go to sleep in the first place.*
*Actually no, not last night. I was totally cheering when he crashed out last night.
Ha ha…yup…on solo nights I count down to bedtime and am devastated if it ends up being difficult.
I distinctly remember one night when I fell asleep in the middle of singing C a lullaby…and woke up I don’t know how much later to a little finger poking me in the face!
haha I’m so behind on life. I’ve only just read this. I love that he sings to you. I’ll have to start that one here.
I was only saying this last night! My daughter is only 10 months so I’ve yet to encounter the nights you have just described. This reminds me about your community piece – it’s so great to know that between the hours of 5pm-7pm a lot of other parents are going through the same thing, and some of them (like you) post about it so we know we aren’t alone!
Thanks Lisa. It means so much to me that others relate well. I bet you don’t have quite the nights we have, but I remember 10 months (or rather I don’t for the lack of sleep!) x
HAHAAAHH!!! Oh thank you, thank you SO VERY MUCH, this post just made my day lol. I know because I feel the SAME exact way. My friend and I were at a play date the other day and she said the same thing “cute arent they?……ever dream about them going to bed……at like ..8am.” lol
Haha. I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks about it in the morning as well! x