family: ... night time is the right time...

... to stall like your life depends on it!

A dispatch from the land of solo daddying


Last night L slept poorly, and as a result M and I both slept poorly as well. L was up multiple times, needing attention, and first M and then I spent some time cuddling with her in her bed. I think I was there from about 2a - 4.30a. It's not a horrible way to live, but a "big girl bed" doesn't quite cut it for a "big daddy."

In any case, my plan was to have the girls in bed by 6.45p. But of course plans can easily head down that road paved with good intentions... There was the distractions of the booster seats. And dinner to be had. And bath (with hair to be done). And did I mention booster seats? And teeth to brush, a Belle story* to tell, and a book to read**. I had them in bed around 7.20p.

And then L needed to pee. (And to her credit, she did pee, quite well.) Then K called me because L was looking out the window and "waking me up." I told K to ignore L and asked L what she was doing?

L: Well, I was... (ducking under the blackout curtain as if to illustrate, in case I didn't fully understand)... looking to see the night!
me: Well, it's time to go to sleep.
L: But Daddy! I can't sleep!!
me: Then lie quietly.
L (bouncing around on her bed): No.
me: Ok, I'm going downstairs. Good night.
L (lying down now): No, tuck me in.
me (tucking her in): Sleep tight. I'm not going to come up again.
Note to future parents - never say never.
me: Sleep tight K.
....
a minute or two later, I'm downstairs.
L (yelling): Daddy?
me (waiting 5 minutes worth of yelling, then climbing the stairs again): What?
L (sitting up in bed): Well, I... I .... I just needed.... (clearly searching her brain for some reason that might possibly be valid).... I needed to go pee-pee.
me: You just did.
L: Well, I need to go!
me (staring down at her in the dimness): O. K.
I follow her into the bathroom and help her on the potty, then refasten her diaper and follow her back into the bedroom.
me: I'm not going to come up here again!
L: Well... I can't sleep.
me: Then you lie quietly for 15 minutes.
L: But I can't!!
me: Yes you can! Good night. I love you.

(repeat twice more before she finally falls asleep)

I'm in bed now, wondering what I'm doing up instead of grabbing a few minutes of sleep in case she happens to have another night. K on the other hand is sleeping solidly lately. Much like Lulu.

* Belle stories have become a regular event around here and deserve a post of their own. Hold tightly to that thought. Maybe I'll remember to actually do a post.

** I've finally discovered a "book" that annoys me more than the Dora the Explora books - Care Bear books. I still have a bad taste in my mouth from reading Care Bears Trick or Treak this evening. Which, by the way, has no trick or treating in it. Just one indication of the quality of the things.