Bedtime?

OMSH has asked us to share heartstrings moments of family love via pictures. Since I'm not comfortable posting pics of my family yet, I've decided to just write about them.

Our bedtime rituals provide one of those heartstrings moments. Bedtime requires certain things for each child. Now that bug is a teenager, she's happy with just a quick kiss, good night and I love you. PB's is a little more involved. I have to give her a butterfly kiss, then she has to give me one. After that, there's Eskimo kisses, then the real kiss. And at some point, I have to give her a little lick. The location of this lick changes each night...sometimes the tip of her nose, other times her forehead, maybe her cheek or chin. This started one night when I was trying to cheer her up during bedtime, and now she expects it and giggles when we do it. The monster requires some wrestling, a "smackdown" (I pick him up and toss him lightly down on his bed" and then hugs and kisses. There's usually a request for a drink of water that requires a quick trip into the bathroom, and then snuggling into the blankets. Some nights, daddylang or I will lay down and cuddle with one of the younger two, scratching their backs and talking quietly. I always know when the monster is really tired, cause he hates for me to scratch his back...it makes sleepy time come faster.

Another heartstrings moment for me occurs at random times. I love when I walk into the living room to find all three kids laying on the couch, arms and legs entwined through each others. Or the Monster laying on the Bug...those moments show me that regardless of the bickering and fighting, they truly do care for each other.