Bedtime

Bedtime routine is quite rigid - it almost never varies. After bath time, we all head downstairs. Carson does Eenie Meenie Minie Moe to see if he or I will pick out his two books to read. He always wins. Funny how he works that one. I get his toothbrush and we head to bed. Read both books (after doing EMMM to see which one is read first), then brush teeth (interspersed with him drinking water out of his sippy at the same time). I get out of bed, and end up threatening him if he doesn't hurry up and jump off the bed. So he pretends to be Buzz Lightyear by holding out his arms like wings and opening and closing his hands like Buzz's lights blinking on his wings. He jumps, then he and Steve do Airplane (Carson is the airplane and Steve carries him - that would really be a trick if Carson flew Steve) into Carson's room. Steve throws him on the bed, then lays down to do Inchworm.

Carson puts on his pj's (currently flannel Lightning McQueen - much moaning and groaning if they aren't clean), then hops on Steve's back facing backwards, and I sit in the chair. With many "GiddeeUp!"s accompanied by bouncing up and down on Steve's back, Steve inches his way across the floor, grunting and groaning the whole time. I have no idea how his back isn't broken. When they get to me Carson says "Pull his pants down!" so I make a big show of trying to pull Steve's pants down. Great hilarity ensues. You kinda have to be there.

Carson gets in bed, and I pull his stepstool to the side and sit on it. Steve remains on the floor, probably recovering from both his back and humiliation of having his pants pulled down. Then we pray (actually I pray pretending I'm Carson.) He will only occasionally pray, but always gives me input. Today it was to pray for the football game, and that Utah won. Tomorrow it might be that we got the truck cart at the grocery store. You never know.

Then I sing him two songs. Lately he's started naming off his entire repertiore of songs (I've got a Tiny Turned Up Nose cd, I've got a Sparkle Sparkle Little Bat cd, I've got a - I think you get the point). Finally he picks two and I sing. Then Steve gets up to tell him goodnight. Carson jumps up on his bed and gets his "black blanket" (a navy blue Notre Dame blanket with a little hood that we got when he was a wee babe) then gives Steve a few lashes with it jumping all the time. They wrestle for a minute, Steve leaves, and he's forced to lay down and be still at that point. I pat his back or front, he rubs his blanket on his hands, wrists or lips. A few minutes later I kiss him good night, then we say Goodnight back and forth while I walk up the stairs.

And this is EVERY NIGHT. It almost doesn't change at all because he insists on every step. Unless we're traveling - then he's actually flexible. Sweet little boy. He may get Band Geek genes from me, but he gets his obsessive/compulsive ones from Daddy.