Bedtime Routine

Every night, we go through the same routine.

Food.
Diaper Change.
Pajamas.
A search for the binky and a blankie.
Some time in the rocking chair.
Good Night.

Easy enough, right? Well, just about every night in between each one of these tasks, I have Archie at my side, whining about something. So really, the routine goes like this.

Lola: Feed me!
Archie: Feed me!

Lola: Change my diaper!
Archie: I need to pee, let me out!

Lola: I want my binky!
Archie: I need fresh water!

Lola: Where is my blankie?
Archie: I need to poop, let me out!

Lola: What about some rocking?
Archie: Can't you pet me?

We do this. All three of us. Every. Night.

Tonight, I ran out of patience. When Archie wanted to go outside to poop, I told him, "Hold it. Just hold it for ten minutes. Let me put the baby to sleep and then I will let you out." He gave me a look of disgust and sulked off to the bedroom.

Feeling bad, I followed him. While I held a babe that was equally annoyed with me, I whispered, "Okaaaay," trying not to wake Josh, "c'mon, I will let you out." Instead of leaping from the bed and racing to the door like you would think a dog who so desparately needs to release a bm would do, Archie sarcastically stared at me as if he were to say, "Oh, so now you care about me?"

I gave a "humph!" and turned to walk away. Sure enough, before I even exited the bedroom he leapt off the bed toward me and the semi-sleeping babe. Josh woke up, and his voice followed me down the hallway, "He acts like this because he's jealous. He knows that bedtime is Lola-time."

It made sense. And, I couldn't help but feel a little guilt. My poor Archie baby.

But tonight, like all nights, I had to focus on Lola as I tried to help her fall asleep. While Archie was out in the backyard, searching for the perfect poop spot, Lola was inside trying to chat her way out of going to bed.

(I apologize for the darkness, but I wasn't about to turn on a light and risk the chance that she would become even more awake than she already was).

Luckily, soon after I filmed this, Archie came in and stood by my side, so I could rock Lola to sleep and pet him, both at the same time.