Miles's Night-Night Routine

I don't have any pictures of the routine - it's too hard to take them in the dark, and I'm always too busy enjoying the cuteness.

Miles is adorable all the time, but especially at bedtime.  He has a very short bedtime routine, since we're not in the habit yet of reading him a bedtime story.  We tell him it's time to go night-night, and carry him to the bathroom to brush his teeth.  He likes to hold his toothbrush himself, after pointing out the lion ("rooorr!") and hippo ("ippa!") on it.  He'll wiggle it around in his mouth, letting drool stream down onto my shirt the entire time, while grinning at Gisèle in the mirror.  After one back-arching whine/cry when we tell him he's all-done and taking the toothbrush from him, he'll lean in and give big, open-mouthed kisses to Daddy and Gisèle, and happily wave bye-bye, sometimes blowing kisses in the process.  (Gisèle will usually give him a careful kiss on the nose, ear, chin, or other place of her choosing at this time.)

I'll carry him to his room, lay him down, and do a diaper change while he babbles to me happily.  Once a fresh diaper and pajamas are on, I pick him up and hand him his monkey lovey.  He smiles happily, sometimes says "tay-too," (thank you) and cuddles it close while he lays his head against my shoulder or cheek.  He'll reach one arm around my neck while I sing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star," and sometimes he'll join in on "up above the world so high..." 

After the song is over, I'll say a quiet prayer with him, thanking God for a nice day and a wonderful family, and asking Him to help Miles sleep well.  I'll lay him down in his crib, and put his arms through his blanket-sleeper sleeves.  Miles will carefully switch his monkey from one hand to the other while I'm zipping him up, careful not to lose hold of it.  Once he's all zipped up, I'll lean in to give him one more kiss, and he'll kiss my cheek and cheerfully say "bye-bye," waving and blowing kisses as I leave and close his door.

He is an absolute joy, and we are blessed.