Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Bedtime routine
Every night it's the same, even the parts that don't make sense. First Mommy readies the bath while Daddy undresses Emma in his lap. Then when the water is ready Mommy will come in remove the diaper while Daddy holds Emma up. Then he calls her name and signs bath.

I put her in the tub in the kitchen sink. Lately her game has been "let's see what I can grab from the windowsill." We wash face with plain water, then use soap to wash back, arms, hands, underarms, chest. Rinse. Soap up the washcloth again and wash feet and legs (the really dirty parts). Rinse washcloth in bathwater and then wash tidbits, then back end. Finally grab water bottle and spray her hair wet, wash with shampoo, rinse. Then lift out of the water and put her on her hoodie towel. This is where she begins to whine/complain. Bundle her up, let Daddy give her a kiss goodnight, grab prepared bottle. Head upstairs.

From the minute her back hits the changing table it's wrestle the baby time. Dry off feet, dry off bum, put on diaper, all the while she's complaining. But her complaints seem obligatory, without much conviction. Somehow she added this whining part to the routine and she's very reliable at it. She starts peeling her diaper tabs open while I try to wrestle her pajamas onto her. Right leg, right arm, left arm, left leg. Now she starts escalating, almost hollering. Snaps become a real fight, which I always win through superior strength and maneuvering.

Then pick her up, still hollering, and take her to the glider. She's waiting for her bottle. I think that's the whole gist of it. Getting dressed is this major inconvenience between her and her last bottle of the day. She grabs the bottle as soon as she can reach it and she plunges it into her mouth. She holds the bottle herself now. Only occasionally needing me to nudge it up so she can get the last drops. She sucks it dry; I can hear her pulling air. Once she realizes it's over the complaining starts again. Especially when I wipe her chin. I pick her up and lay her on her back in the crib. The complaining finally stops when I pop in her pacifier. She rolls over on her side and I tuck Tigger into her arms. I can see her whole body relax when she's all tucked in. I tell her I love her and leave the room.