Evening routine

I rock Deckie to sleep each night in the glider in his room. I don't think we will give it up anytime soon. While the older pair play or are bathed, I hold Deckie while he drinks his sippy and then I sing him to sleep. We have had this same routine for months. When I am done, I go help with the last finishing bedtime touches, most nights, with Kathleen and Andrew like reading a book or playing a short board game. It is a fun way to say good night.

Recently, however, Deckie hasn't been settling as well so I have been spending more time in the glider than usual. Baby Sean (working name still) seems to enjoy these moments. As I cradle Deckie in my arms, Baby Sean comes to life with a lot of kicking, squirming or spinning. It is impossible to put into words the feelings of sitting in a dark quiet room singing a song to my growing baby while I feel the life expand within my belly, kicking at my arm lazily stretched across the bump and holding onto to Deckie. Perhaps the larger age gap between the other three never allowed me to spend the time rocking a baby to sleep when the new little one was old enough to make its presence known ... maybe I just didn't have time to sit back and feel it all happen.

I am certainly appreciating my little moments of peace with my two young ones at this point. I know the babe's arrival will change our relatively peaceful nighttime routine - and I will miss my quiet time.