bedtime is fun time

Noah's bedtime routine is pretty elaborate. After bath and pajamas and brushing teeth, at his request, this is what we do:

1. sing a song. The same song every night: "Mama's going to buy you a mockingbird" Noah fills in the blanks with other things he wants me to buy. Like lions, windows, pictures of Jesus, scary dinosaurs, Jake,...
2. read a scripture. we use the gospel art picture kit, he picks out a picture and I tell him the story or read him a scripture that goes along with it. Sometimes one isn't enough.
3. pray
4. tell a bedtime story
5. do "sun on my arm" (this thing I made up that involves saying things like "sun shining on your arm. rain falling on your arm. wind blowing on your arm. while I do coordinating motions on his arm) on BOTH arms.
6. "Around the world in 80 days"
7. if he isn't drowsy yet--and he usually isn't--then he takes a turn to do the bedtime stuff to me. He does sun on my arm and around the world in 80 days and tells me a story.
8. I tell him: "ok no more talking, it's bedtime."
9. The "Sleep by me" begging begins.
10. At this point I do one of two things. I leave, and he promptly cries until he falls asleep; or I succumb to his pitiful pleas and lay by him until he falls alseep and I sneak out.

I think most parents have some kind of similar bedtime routine, and understand the sigh of relief that comes each night after the long process is over. But lately I have been feeling that some of the sweetest moments of the day are in those last 15-45 minutes before the boys are out for the night. Two experiences to illustrate:

The other night I had reached phase 10 of the bedtime routine, and I was still in bed with him. He seemed to be dozing off, until with his eyes half closed, turned to me drowsily and said: "One time my dad said I have to take a bath. But not now." nonsense. For some reason, I found that hilarious, and I started laughing. He joined in, and both of us laughed and laughed and laughed. Noah had no idea why I was laughing, but he just laughed anyway. Childhood is awesome. Laughing comes so easily.

I went out last night while Kyle took over the bedtime routine. He ended up falling asleep with Noah for a couple of hours, so I had a quiet house to myself. Just before putting myself to bed, Kyle came out and told me something that happened during that night's bedtime routine. Kyle was getting ready to leave, he thought Noah was asleep, when all of a sudden, Noah opened his eyes, sat up and said: "We forgot!! We didn't read our scriptures!" My little boy loves the scriptures, that makes me happy. Thanks, bedtime routine.

there you have it. 2 good moments that make me think it's ok that our bedtimes are a little long and drawn out :)