One Groundhog day, please! #parentingfail do-over

I want a do-over day for yesterday.
A do-over parenting day!

This is what today looks like (photo on top by Dad), and all the blame needs to be placed in front of the parents...
(Sleeping in the car while waiting for the school gates to open this morning...)


It was such a lovely day outside yesterday, with a breakfast with friends and playing outside...

Ennis Nursery coffee shop

The warning sign only put a giggle on our faces...

And the wish on the food was an extra bonus!

"May you have the best that life can give you!"

What could have gone wrong?

We had to take the student back to Varsity.
That is a three hour trip, and we were exhausted last night.

We fell on the coach with you, snacked on junk, and did not stuck you in your normal routine of bath, story-time and bed!
We watched the Sunday night movie!

(Bad, bad parents!)

I so regretted it this morning when we tried to dress you while still sleeping
(That is not so unusual, but the tantrums that were accompanying it were an extra reminder!)

And all I could say: "I am so sorry, my little one!"

Today is one of those days I wish I could have stayed at home and do a goundhog day (such as in the movie!)
In the groundhog day I would have done everything the same (and enjoyed it even more!), but I would have stuck to your bed-time routines...
Even though you love to stay awake until the darkest hours...
Even though you love staying up with us...
Even though you are not always in a mood for a bath...
Even though you enjoy snacking on junk with us...
Even though you enjoy watching movies with us...

It is not that difficult? Is it? Is it?

Parenting fail!

Please tell me we are not the only ones slipping up every now and again?

                                                                             ______________

But!
Today I will be better! Even though I won't get yesterday again...
I will make my own groundhog day of better parenting!
I promise!

The Toddler is down at 8

 

We had some sleeping issues during the holidays last week.  As soon as the regular routine gets shifted or moved along by a couple of minutes hours, everything goes out of the window!

No new revelation here! We all know it! It is our own doing (as parents!) when we let it slip... We were driving around again on Monday night while she was full of beans, singing songs...  While we were feeling like zombie parents driving ourselves into a coma...

Luckily when she went back to day care this week she was extremely tired, and it is now the second night that she went to bed at eight AND fell asleep immediately... Back-to-reality does have its merits for tired parents!

The photos are evidence of some of the late night art being done by the Toddler last week. She starts by cutting up pictures from magazines and making collages. Even the dices got a place on the collage. I think it is pretty nifty because she does it all on her own!
(The same as the collage on her sketch pad as well.)

Happy sleeps!

Creature of habit

The toddler is a creature of habit. She learns to do something, and she wants to do it the same way again and again.

The sleep routine is one of the most important for us if we want an uneventful evening. Of course, also if we want some SLEEP!

Sleep routine:
Bath time is at 7pm. When we announce bath-time, she says “bye” and starts climbing the stairs. I have learnt not to say anything about bathing when I am not ready. Or there is drama!
We undress her in her room, and she wants to take her dirty clothes herself to the washing basket. She has to throw in the clothes herself. Every-time!
She helps with putting on the cream we wash her with. 
She plays with the boats and other toys.
She “brushes” her teeth.
I have to dry her while she lies on her stomach and I rub her back in massage-like movements. Whenever I try to dry her while holding her on my lap, she complains.
Sleep at 8pm. When we announce bed-time, she immediately starts to say goodnight. Dad AND the dog gets kisses and a hug as well.
We “read” two books which she has selected, and she closes it herself. “Klaar!” is her declaration that she has finished reading.
She breastfeeds until she falls asleep!
As long as we keep to the “recipe” of 1-2-3 all is well in Toddlerville!

Other quirky habits:
- The toddler drinks her bottle while lying in her doughnut. The doughnut is the doughnut shaped floor mattress which has lost most of its sponges and does not look as “healthy” as it once was. But the toddler wants to drink her bottle in the thing. Every-time!

- Whenever she sees any one of us near the kitchen zinc she wants to help “wash” the dishes. We have to explain time and again every night we are not washing dishes right that moment... Until we wash it, and she happily “helps” us by pouring water from the tap into bottles until it overflows.
Habits are a very important part of how the toddler takes control of her life! We have to smile at some of the habits she insists on doing every time! I love the way we all accommodate these little behaviours. It is sooo precious!