Bedtime Rituals

Miss Lucy hates going to bed.  It started when we put her in own room at 6 months.  She can tell if you are taking her to her room for a diaper change or playtime, or if she is going down for the dreaded nap.  She cries, clings to you and in all ways acts completely pathetic and heartbroken.

We have a nighttime ritual.  Feed, bathe, change, toothbrush, read.  And then we put her down with her "baby" which is really an Ugly Doll and listen to her cry for 5-10 minutes.  After nearly 9 months, this schedule hasn't changed.  She still cries, every single time.  We wait to put her blankets on after she falls asleep, otherwise they are thrown out of the crib in disgust.

And so, one night, when I went to put her blankets on, my heart melted with this dimly lit view.  How sweet is this?  Lucy is not a fan of the baby when it isn't bedtime, because she associates it with her crib.  However, it is her comfort all night long.  After she calms down, we hear her talking to it,

"no, no baby."
"mmmm, yum, yum, yum."
"peek a boo."

and she usually wakes up peacefully talking to her doll.

Pictures like these, make trying days and months worth it.  And by trying months, I mean Lucy has been sick in January.  All month long.  Between a black eye, a 2.5 week cold, and an ear infection, we are about done in.

Thank goodness for sweet, sleeping moments, and Ugly Dolls, to make my heart sing.