Bedtime Blues

USUALLY, bedtime is a non-issue around here. . . usually.

The normal routine goes something like this:

Finish up dinner, "bigs" start dishes and clean up while mommy bathes the "littles" and gets them ready for bed.

"Littles" say goodnight to everyone and then go to read, rock, and sing a few songs in their room (with Mom).

"Middles" and "bigs" get ready for bed and listen to Dad read a chapter or two from the latest "Daddy Read-Aloud."

They are currently starting book 3 of "The Mysterious Benedict Society." It is a fun series!

Mom tucks in "littles" and then both Mom and Dad make the rounds (3 bedrooms worth - LOL!) and tuck in and pray with the "middles and bigs."

Sometimes the oldest few read for a while before going to sleep.

No problem.

Usually.

Here was tonight:

Mom asks a certain child (whose job it is anyways) to please begin washing up the dishes.

Certain child begins to whine, argue, and complain about how no one ever helps her.

Mom says something like, "Probably so. I'll have someone else do it tonight. Please go up and brush your teeth and get in bed."

"But (WHINE) I don't want to go to bed. . . I'll do the dishes (WHINE)."

"I know. Please go up and brush your teeth and get in bed."

"But (WHINE) I don't want to go to bed. . . I'll do the dishes (WHINE)."

"I know. Please go up and brush your teeth and get in bed."

this repeats another, oh, I don't know. . . 14 times (she's persistent!).

Certain child finally heads to bed (still whining).

Meanwhile, dear husband doesn't feel well and so goes to lie down for a few minutes and falls asleep.

Other big children do (thankfully) clean up the kitchen while mom goes to help "middles" and "littles" get ready for bed.

Mom instructs them to brush their teeth and quietly look at books while mom goes to talk to that certain child who is still whining and crying loudly from their bedroom. . .

While they are getting ready, one "little" decides to ignore mom completely and go off to do her own thing.

She also ends up going to bed (instead of reading stories) and decides to holler as loudly as possible. Mom says goodnight.

Hollering of both children wakes up dad (he's grumpy and goes in to tell them to be quiet but doesn't know what was going on). Mom tells Dad that they are o.k. and to please not give them any more attention. . . now Dad is grumpy at Mom.

(sigh.)

Mom goes back in with other middles and littles and reads and sings and is trying to tuck them in but they insist on continuing to chatter/talk/cajole.

Certain child is still crying loudly but MIRACULOUSLY stops when her sister suddenly enters the room to go to bed (almost 1 hour later).

All children, except the 3 oldest (who are working on a project), are now in bed.

One of the "littles" starts to cry (seriously. this NEVER happens.)

He has to go "peep."

So, out of bed he comes so he can go "peep" and then back to bed for him.

"Bigs" are now done with their project and are chatting in the LR and hoping mom won't send them to bed too soon.

Mom graciously allows a few minutes of goofy chatter at which time she realizes that certain child AND her roommate are out of bed and messing around in the bathroom!

(irritated sigh.)

Back to bed they go.

Off to bed "bigs" go.

Mom says goodnight to "bigs"

and goes to blog about this chaos

and eat chocolate.

A "little" cries. . . the dog starts barking loudly. Dad wakes up again.

(sigh.)

does anyone have some more chocolate?