It's my duty, as a blogging mom

Due to the nature of so many of my Overwhelmed-and-Outnumbered Mom Rants, I felt I owed it to our family blog to write about nights like tonight, as they are rare but DO exist.

Tonight I was on "combat duty" all by myself (Eric was at class), so I had been gearing up for a rather tough evening.  But there's something about knowing all day that I'm going to be flying solo come bedtime that helps me prepare mentally and emotionally for what lies ahead, so I was hopeful.  

Now, you may think I'm being overly dramatic to refer to the bedtime hour (what we call "magic hour") in such a way.  But PEOPLE.  Have you ever put three kids under three to bed at the same time?  It's enough to make you want to rip your hair out.  Every last one.

Oftentimes both Eric and I head into the bedtime routine in great moods, full of energy, with a full agenda for post-bedtime.  But something happens in that half hour to forty-five minutes that so often spits both of us out of the kids' room exhausted, irritated, and just plain worn down.  So facing magic hour by myself takes some serious mind preparation.  

But then there are nights like tonight.  Nights when the kids obey so well when asked to help put away the bazillion toys spread all around the living room.  (They even sweetly sang the clean up song together while they dumped their trains into the bin.)  Nights when I don't have to chase or wrestle anyone into their jammies, or hold anyone down on the floor to brush their teeth (not really, but some days it seems like it!).  Nights when for whatever reason all three kids have very cheery, calm, sweet dispositions that make getting ready for bed such a joy.

Then tonight we had an unexpected interruption: Grandma needed a ride to Papa's concert.  So we put on our shoes and got on our hoodies (yes, Fall is creeping near), got a special treat of chocolate milk in our sippies to take in the car, and headed outside.  The kids were so tickled to be outside in their jammies in the dark!  They chased each other around the driveway a few times, giggling as they went.  Then they piled into the car without complaint (a miracle) and off we went.  Jack kept saying, "Okay, Mommy, go on a trip!"  When we crossed the train tracks Jack said, "Way to go, Mommy!"  We arrived at Grandma's house amidst excited squeals and shout-outs to "Mama" (what Ellie calls my mom).  All the way over to the college Jack kept giggling and saying, "Mommy, da trip SO FUN!"  (Boy, takes so little to please this kid, huh?)

After dropping Grandma off and waving to Papa, we headed towards home.  But on the way we passed the college soccer field, where they were practicing with all the stadium lights on, and I couldn't help stopping to let the kids watch out the car windows.  They ooed and ahhed over and over excitedly.  Samantha couldn't see anything, but she was back there cooing as well.  At last we said goodbye to the soccer field and went on our way.

THEN, much to my delight, I discovered I had enough change in the car to get a small latte, so we took a little detour to Starbucks.  When we pulled into the drive Jack said, "Yay, cop-pee for Mommy!"  (HEY.  Gimme a break...I don't get coffee THAT often, I don't know why he was so excited about it.)  It was delicious and soothing (and full of caffeine!), a perfect addition to an already swell evening so far.  As we finally headed home, Jack began pointing out the airplanes and stars in the sky, which then prompted Ellie, who had been quiet for some time, to burst into a rousing rendition of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" that went something like this:

(sung at the top of her lungs)

"Dee-doh, dee-doh deet deet tar

How I want you are

Uppah-bub da high

Yike-ah die-mon in-a sky

Dee-doh, dee-doh deet deet tar

How I want you are."

(she used to sing, "how I what what what you are"; cracked me up every time!)

(Katie, how about that for a business name: "How I Want"??  Haha...)

Then she started up again, with Jack chiming in with his own rendition, also sung at the top of his lungs:

"Twinko, twink0 yi-deh stawr,

How I wonder what you awr,

Up above da word so high,

Yike a diamond in da sky

Twink0, twinko yi-deh stawr,

How I wonder what you awr."

(My spell check is going nuts.)

Ah, the sweet off-key sound of my babies singing together.  Makes my heart ache just a little, that so-full-of-joy-and-contentment-it-hurts ache.  

When we got home I reminded them that it was time for bed and we were going to go in and go straight to their room.  I carried a barefoot Ellie in, and went back to get Samantha.  When I finally made it inside they both had their coats and shoes off, and Jack had collected all the necessary bedtime friends and blankies and was sweetly passing them out.  We filed one after the other back to their room, and they both climbed into beds all by themselves (Ellie's figured out how to climb into her crib but not out of it yet.  Keeping fingers crossed on that one.) and we turned out the light.  There was no crying, no begging for water, no pleas to go potty again.  Then we sang our nightly anthem of Jesus Loves Me (the kids' version: Jesus Wuves Me), prayed, kissed, and I walked out with Samantha in my arms. I went in to my room, nursed her, laid her down, and they've all been quiet ever since!  

These evenings are great, friends.  These are nights that feel like little gifts plunked in between the really hard ones.  These are nights I love being a mom.  L-O-V-E it.  I so enjoy each moment, each little conversation, each mispronounced word and out of tune song.  I love coming out of bedtime smiling at the thought of their sweet night-night kisses and their "I wuve yous" as I left the room.  After all were down I came into the living room, looking for their shoes and coats to hang up.  I looked around and then noticed that Jack's hoodie was hanging on his little hook by the door, his shoes sloppily set on the shelf, next to one of Ellie's shoes (the other of which is on the floor beneath the shelf where she most likely gave up trying or got distracted), and her hoodie hanging by a thread with both arms inside out (she tries so hard, bless her heart!).  (Insert heart swelling and fond sighs.)

These nights I shake my head at how enjoyable and effortless the whole evening seemed.  It even made me wonder why other nights are so hard.  Is it me?  Is it the kids?  Probably a little of both.  But tonight, I relish this night.  I should probably go do dishes or laundry or sweep the floor, but I think I'll wait a bit.  These are nights worth savoring.  

Well, my reheated-in-the-microwave latte is calling to me...and the garage door is opening signaling my husband's arrival home, so I'll sign off.  I hope wherever you are, you are having as lovely an evening.