Best Bedtime Ever

Tonight I was a good mom. It doesn't happen all the time so it's very refreshing when it does.

Soren was really tired and cranky when we were trying to wind down and get ready for bed. Every time we got near his crib his whining would change into piercing shrieks, with legitimate tears running down his cheeks. And although I knew he was probably really thirsty, he was throwing his cup of milk all over the room.

So I turned off the lights and sat down in his rocking chair with him. He pointed with a squawk at the bookshelf, hoping for a story. But I knew that one book would blossom into a million and wouldn't help him calm down at all; my son is a greedy, voracious bookworm and one story just wets his appetite for a dozen more.

Instead of getting a book, I cradled him in my arms and sang songs. I sang "Waltzing Matilda", "I Know My Father Lives", "I Lived in Heaven", and "Still Alive". Surprisingly, he didn't resist the cuddle and after a couple of songs, stuck his thumb in his mouth.

Since he was much more calm, I tried giving him the milk again, which he chugged in minutes while I sang another lullaby. By the time he was finished with the milk, his eyes were dropping and his body was quite still.

I stood up and carried him to the crib. He reached out for it and that's how I knew he was ready for bed. When I put him down on the mattress, he put his thumb in his mouth and squirmed around a bit (like a dog trying to get comfortable). I covered him with his blanket and that was that.

Bedtimes like that make me feel really competent as a mother. I know how to soothe my child and how to help him feel comfortable and safe. Sometimes we really do have a no-cry solution.

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