The Cry of an Amazon Woman: Our New Bedtime Routine

Focus and breath, you can do this. ~ This is what I now tell myself every night. For the past week or so Emma has unlocked the doors to tantrum hell and getting her to go to sleep has become an all out battle.

Don't get me wrong, my kid is sweet and so adorable 99% of the time. She can be snugly, she can be kind, sure sometimes she gets upset but people have their ups and downs during the day and I don't blame her. But getting her to bed has become a real sore spot for me and my husband. If even daddy is having difficulties I know we've entered a whole new ball game. It seems like just yesterday I was writing about our serene bedtime routine and now here we are weeks later and it has crumbled into the sink hole of pre-toddler abyss.

Every night after her play time, dinner and bath we try to unwind. I take her into her room with the lights off and we sit quietly in her chair while she has her bottle. But now, it seems like the bed time protest comes earlier and earlier with fussiness showing up after dinner and sometimes continuing through her bath. We reach the edge of the cliff when we go to sit "quietly" in her room to have her pre-bed bottle. Instead of cuddling and enjoying her liquid nourishment, she insists on squirming and looking around the room. She reaches out for anything and everything to touch and play with. I give in and finally give her a shirt that is draped over her toy basket. After inspecting it for several seconds she promptly leans over and drops it on the floor as if to say "I am now displeased with you" only to quickly change her mind and try to back flip off the chair to grab her precious play thing. Then she looks back at me longingly as if to say "but mommy I NEED it." Reluctantly I give in. I stoop down to pick it up only to watch as it cascades onto the floor seconds later. I see where this is going. And with that I resolve not to give in.

Then it happens, that look in her eye, she has turned into a wild child. The inner bedtime avoiding goddess emerges and she becomes a crying amazon woman. Unwaning, determined, no one shall get in between her and her quest to stay awake and do as she pleases. She has the confidence and will of a warrior. Swinging from the ceiling fan, riding bare back on her mighty dog beasts. She. will. not. be. tamed.

As the minutes tick by I sit wide eyed in wonderment until my body goes numb. I fade into the background, a statue that exists only to be climbed at will. Until finally, the warrior woman rubs her eyes for the third time. A sign of admitting defeat. She closes her eyes and drifts off to sleep. I can feel my limbs regain consciousness as I cradle my nine month old and every so gently place her in bed. Her eyelids flutter but that is all the protesting she has left in her. I stare in awe. This is how I will always remember my baby. Until tomorrow night my warrior princess.

Do you have a difficult time getting your toddler to go to sleep? What is your bedtime routine? I am thinking we need to change ours so I would love to hear yours!