Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Don't let the bed bugs bite ...

I love visiting my friend Alissa. I have to admit, I don't see her enough but we are both working moms with busy lives. I told myself after I left that I need to just make time for my friends. So often, I get caught up in work, home, sleep that I don't take the time to really see how my friends are doing. In this digital age, I really rely on social media for that interaction. What did we do before Facebook, Twitter and blogs? I just realized today that I haven't talked to anyone in my family since I got back from Nebraska a few weeks ago. Yikes! And none of them are on Facebook! Oops.

Back to Alissa. She just had her second little boy and holding him today made me wished now was the time I could have another one but it's not. Sleepless nights. Not showering for days. Baby weight ... bring it on. I always get the best nuggets of motherhood advice from Alissa. We were on the topic of kids and TV and she said the most true statement "kids can't watch TV at daycare because we need them to watch it when they're home with us." So true. How else would I get dinner on the table when my husband's not at home.  Kinda reminded me of Mad Men when Betty needs to have a serious talk with Don, she tells the kids to watch TV. I'm only half kidding people.

So I was telling Alissa of our bedtime routine. Bath, jammies, Yo Gabba Gabba, Milk, night night.  We got on this topic because I told her Ben only says five words and one was "gabba" which was part of his bedtime routine. Then I got to thinking ... what was my bedtime routine as a child...

I remember taking nightly baths as I hated to wash my hair because I always seemed to get shampoo in my eyes.  My mom would roll foam rollers in my hair when I was younger. She wanted me to have curly hair as I got the stick straight hair gene from my dad. I remember her saying that I never had a problem going to bed though I do remember going through a bout of insomnia when I was in elementary school and I hid this by taking a flashlight to bed and reading when I couldn't sleep. When it was 9 p.m., I'd get my pjs on and would wait for my mom to tuck me in. She'd give me a hug and kiss and tell me to say my prayers.  I don't remember when she stopped tucking me in. My bedtime got later to 10 p.m. or after the first 10 mins of the 10 p.m. news (I was a budding journalist in those days). She would often just peek in to see if I was reading or actually in bed when I was in high school.

Right now, when Lil B goes to bed I put him in his crib with his blanket. Make sure he has some books (he likes to read in bed in the morning). I turn on his Radiohead Rockabye Lullabies and his turtle night light. We say good-bye and I love you and give him a hug. Most of the time, he doesn't fuss but lately his canines are  busting through and he cries for a bit.

I want him to grow up so fast but I need to savor the moment. He won't always be 17 months.

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