The Art of Manipulation

The boys are at a new phase in their 2 1/2 years of life. They recently have learned the art of manipulation.

Bedtime is not their favorite time of day anymore (it's still mine!). They like to prolong it as long as they can.

We have a routine...we start with a bath. (They usually enjoy this and have begun to want to stay in longer). Then for some reason their bath causes them to be rejuvenated! So by the time I chase them down to put on a diaper and dress them in their pjs (which Jace insists on wearing his Lightning McQueen ones for the 3rd day in a row now...of course Nana has been nice enough to wash each time) I'm usually sweating.

Then we take our nighttime medicine (Singulair) and they usually insist on one last snack. WHICH by the way Jace can now open the childproofed pantry doorknob (I'm screwed now).

At our house we are constantly saying "One more, then NO more". They usually do very good once they are told this is the last time. It seems to make it clear in their little minds that there is no more after this one!

Then we head back into the bathroom to brush their teeth while they enjoy turning the water on FULL blast. Jace is pretty good at doing it himself, but Cade likes for me to "help" him PLUS he likes to drink the water out of my "cupped" hand.

Once we're finished with all of THAT, we start saying our goodnights. We must tell Daddy good night and give 2 kisses and 2 hugs....(b/c of one more, then no more)....then we go down to Sissy's room and give 2 kisses and 2 hugs. Now they insist on Brittney coming into their room to say their nighttime prayers with them.

We all must kneel down and say "now I lay me down to sleep" 2 times. (one more, then no more). Then I put Jace in his crib first - where I must cover him the correct way and receive a hug and kiss. Next is Cade...same thing. Before I walk out I usually have to give one more hug and kiss but then it's ONE MORE, NO MORE!

If anything is out of order, I don't hear the end of it. One night I was so tired b/c the nighttime ritual was going so slow I skipped brushing their teeth. As I was leaving their room Jace was yelling "teeth, teeth". I ended up raising my voice saying "no teeth tonight, I love you, go nigh-nigh". Am I the mother of the year or what? Here is my 2 year old lecturing me on oral hygiene. I was just exhausted though.

Sometimes I feel manipulated, but who can resist one more hug and one more kiss from such adorable little ones.

When Steve is out of town, it is hard because telling him goodnight is part of the routine. How dare him make life harder for me!