Saturday 3 January 2015

Peace at Last

I have a new favourite moment of the day. It comes sometime between 6.30pm and 7.00pm. The new moment is blissful, peaceful and so full of love I could just eat it. Can you eat a moment? I want to eat this one.

Firstly, Duck goes to bed. Somehow, largely thanks to my hard working husband, the 11 month old whose sleep patterns nearly killed me has turned into a 1 year old whose sleep patterns are edging towards actual real-life normality. He goes to bed. Just like that. Then he's asleep. It's weird to be honest. I love it. But that's not the moment. After I lay a 'sleepy but awake' Duck  (check me out, just like the books say!) down next to his huge Iggle Piggle (a cuddly toy that is almost as big as him), I come downstairs.

I find my big grown up, pant-wearing (as yet unsuccessfully) Bambi watching TV. None of your babyish shows for him anymore, oh no, now he's all about Gigglebiz, which is a bit like the Fast Show... a lot like the Fast Show, but with Mr Tumble in. Next to him is my husband who always, ALWAYS, gets tired when it's the boys' bedtimes. I like to think my mood-lighting and bedtime routine voice is just so soporific that even adults can't resist its charms. They are lying together on the floor, Bambi is awake, Daddy is more often than not, asleep. That's pretty cute, but it's not my new favourite moment.


My favourite moment of the moment comes next. When Bambi is pyjama-ed up, we go up to his new Peppa Pig themed room. He snuggles down in his Peppa duvet cuddling stuffed toy Peppa and George, with brand-new-for-Christmas Mummy and Daddy Pig next to his pillow. They haven't earned the right to be cuddled yet, but they are allowed pillow space. I sit on the floor next to his bed and read a story. In his old room, story time was in a chair and then he got into bed. There is no chair in the Peppa Pig bedroom so he lies in bed to listen. Christmas is over so the 45 day run of Alfie's Christmas has come to an end and we read different books each night. I like reading different books. But what I like most is the fact that Bambi now falls asleep while I'm reading.

The moment of utter peace and bliss comes when I'm reading and I glance over to see his eyes have shut. I keep reading in case he is in that lovely cosy half asleep phase and part of him is still listening, still aware of my presence. It's heaven. Both my babies are contentedly asleep, quiet and warm in their own beds. It's one of the few moments in the day I'm not thinking about anything else. I'm just there. Reading a story to myself and smiling.

mummy daddy me

19 comments:

  1. Thanks for linking up to Share A Smile! It's lovely to find your blog, I love your header!

    My husband often falls asleep before my daughter as he seems more affected by the bedtime routine. :) As much as we love then it is nice to have 'Peace At Last'! x

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  2. Oh I love this post! How cute that he falls asleep whilst you're reading. Your bedtime routine sounds so perfect. YAY for happy babies! We need a play date soon!! x

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  3. This is lovely. I wish my little boy went to bed so peacefully. He used to but has recently started with a vivid imagination and nightmares, and has made it so we always feel cruel putting him to bed. Poor little thing. This moment sounds like sheer bliss ️xxX lovely that you treasure it x

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    1. Aw that sounds tough! Hope he stops having bad nights soon xxx

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  4. Well this is just all kinds of lovely isn't it!!!!!
    I have such fond memories of falling asleep whilst being read to as a kid and we always read bed time stories to Arthur, he doesn't quite fall asleep whilst we read yet but he does snuggle down and go all floppy and cozy which I love!!
    Gorgeous post :) xx

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    1. Aw thank you. I used to LOVE being read to in bed, so I'm so glad he does too :)

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  5. This is v cute. Mine are in the same room now and peering in to two snoring babes before I go up to bed is pretty lush. Excellent bed time skills, and hoorah for more SLEEP! It's all up from here xx

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    1. N'awww! Can't wait for that! I wanna get them bunk beds! Too cute. Duck will be out of a cot way before Bambi was I reckon, he's a climber. Then I shall bunk bed them right up! Such fun :)

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  6. Oh this is so lovely, my little ones have only very rarely fallen sleep when I'm reading but I've always nursed them to sleep as babies and you get a similar feeling watching their eyes get heavier and the lashes droop slowly down into sleep. And I love that all the soft mood lighting sends their Daddy to sleep instead - it has exactly the same effect around here!

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    1. Aww yes. I nursed them both to sleep for a long time too, sooo snuggly! :)

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  7. What a wonderful relaxing bedtime routine. I wish mine would fall asleep while I was reading but they are more likely to be found with a torch under their duvet, up to mischief! #ordinarymoments

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    1. Haha, I'm sure it will be a short lived phase!!!

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  8. Firstly yay you linked up! Lovely to see your post here. And I completely agree with this. Bedtime is my favourite time of day by far (not just cause they are going to bed haha!) I love it when they are out of the bath, smelling all fresh and gorgeous, and they are in their pi's and snuggling next to us on our bed and reading a story. It's those little moments that make it all worthwhile and however tough a day we have had it's all instantly forgotten. x

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    1. Thanks Katie! God yes I LOVE post-bath babies. Our new house only has a shower and I miss baths every day. (We go to my Mum's for the kids' baths now!)

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  9. This is so lovely. I love the idea of being read to sleep myself. I also love the idea of reading my three year old to sleep, but I can't imagine a time that will happen - he's the hyper boy who runs around like a lunatic and has to be wrestled in to bed then sings at the top of his voice and plays with his trains for a good half hour after we've left him alone. It's not peaceful at all, so the image you've created here of gentle falling asleep feels a bit magic to me.

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  10. This is so very lovely - I can remember both of these transition stages and I really enjoyed them. #shareasmile

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  11. You really need this time at the end of a busy day! Rose is not going to bed too well at the moment but I cross my fingers it's a temporary glitch! #ordinarymoments

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