Tag Archives: Bedtime

April 15th, 2018

Long after the kids have finished their own breakfasts, this is what dad eating dad’s breakfast looks like. The script is as follows:

Eleanor: [With doe eyes, silently sign “please”]

Down to business when they’re on the final “fruit” course

Grandma and her two shopping assistants

Napping downstairs while mom and dad’s new bed is delivered upstairs

Meanwhile upstairs, Des sleeps through the removal of the current mattress and box spring (which required mom to use the drill to remove the upstairs handrail) and delivery and set up of the new mattress, bed frame and box spring. He must’ve needed this nap.

Desmond and dad reading what is surely a Star Wars book before bed

April 14th, 2018

Peekaboo and snacks

Sometimes you just need a hug to help wake up

“Tut, tut, looks like snacks”

Just two gals resting after a Saturday afternoon dance party

Testing the new mattress before Des’ first sleepover, brother points to sister’s absolutely criminal behavior of standing on the bed

<3

And now it’s snowing. Again.

Reminiscing about her first spring, Eleanor yearns for another, pondering, “will this winter ever end?” (note the ironic selection of the stuffed snowman in her arm)

Mom is ready for the sleepover with her grilled cheese game dialed up to “serious” mode

Let the wild rumpus begin! Or, let’s all watch Inside Out and watch dad hold back the tears

Liam reading The Lorax quite well, despite the many tongue-twisters

Although Liam eventually tired and tapped uncle David to finish. He too read quite well, despite mom’s heckling about the Lorax sounding a bit too derivative of Sean Connery

Cousins, quietly winding down before bedtime 😉

This moment captures the grand experiment perfectly. While there was some initial chatter between all three of them, it was immediately apparent that Desmond was going to assume the time-honored role of “The Instigator.” He was certainly keyed up (read: overly tired) and excited about his new sleeping buddies. However, the older—and much wiser—cousins knew folks may not be happy about the current noise level and instinctively ducked into sleep-like postures when they heard footsteps coming up the stairs. “Lay down Desmond! Be quiet, you fool, or we’ll all get it!” they seemed to warn in hushed tones. Everyone eventually fell asleep without ever waking up sister in the nearby room. Overall it was a wholly successful first sleepover with Liam and Viv.

Easter 2018

Easter is a spring celebration for Team LLama, and while there were a few treats, it was mostly an opportunity to gift springtime necessities to the kids

Ok, and one indoor/outdoor activity for “exercise”

Cool baby found a pouch almost instantaneously

Des models this spring’s rain fashion

Can only assume her grunting and gesturing was an attempt to say, “Mom, there appears to be treats hidden in these egg-shaped contraptions. Can you open this, please?”

Let the egg hunt begin!

Des spots an egg up above

Taking a craisin break

After plowing through her own craisins, Eleanor begins scavenging for more elsewhere. “PLEASE BROTHER! I need just four more!!”

Ella celebrating her dunk

She was, and continues to be, a big fan of her rain boots

So much so that Ella begins handing out footwear to everyone in the vacinity

Easter bunny did well with the stuffed dinosaur

Snack time with Ella and one of her many BFFs

Yup, wind-up chicks are hilarious!

In addition to coming over for dinner with ma and pa, aunt Megan brings over a basket of Liam and Viv’s old children books. Liam and Des go right for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles book.

Everyone has a book they’re waiting to be read

Eventually the kids self-organize their own book clubs

Eleanor is getting to the age where she usually picks out her own books to read before nap/bed time. Originally from great-aunt Molly to Desmond, Duck & Goose, It’s Time for Christmas is still in regular rotation.

March 26th, 2018

Over the past few weeks, Eleanor has increasingly been awake still after the bedtime ritual of reading three books, singing eight verses of “Old McDonald.” Surprisingly, she’s chill and just goes to sleep fairly quickly.

March 23rd, 2018

Ella basically called “dibs” on a hat in the dress-up center, wore it until lunch time 

Eleanor pause between rounds of open/closing her water bottle, squirting herself in the face and then laughing 🙂

Not that it wasn’t planned to begin brushing her teeth after bath time, but she insisted on it without much guidance and really started her own habit

A guest joins (Star Wars, of course) story time with Grandma

February 25th, 2018

The Sunday morning crew, watching a few minutes of Planet Earth II

Ella modeling her new hat ma made

Ma also brought over a Peter Rabbit stuffed animal for each of the kids. Des has already decided on a new nap time buddy- 

More Ella and dad naps

All bundled up, sporting her new hat

As Des continues to learn about making good choices and practicing good behavior, mom and dad have instituted a “pom pom jar” for rewarding unprompted good deeds. As Desmond reaches each new level, he gets increasing rewards: an ice cream outing, a movie at the theater, and eventually a new lego set. While filling the whole jar is several months away, he did get to the first level, so a trip to eCreamery was a special post-nap treat.

Eleanor was selflessly willing to show her support for brother’s good behavior

Eleanor can spot a dog a 100 feet away, through pedestrian and vehicle traffic 🙂

To the victor goes the spoils

Eleanor hugged her new best friend, Flopsy

February 24th, 2018

Despite the impending late-winter storm, dad and the kids venture out to “the plant store” for seed trays and soil. “Come for the gardening supplies, stay for the pictures with old pickup trucks!”

Eleanor was eager for a good stretch of the legs

She does not trust giant tortoises, alive or bronze. Don’t worry, grandma will protect you.

These two are cute, not cute enough to convince grandma and dad to take them into the fragile housewares section.

What’s better than a weekend lunch at the food hall?

Apparently there are paparazzi amongst Team Llama…

Making some banana bread, just because

The “D” wasn’t detectable after baking, but worth a shot

Peter Pan for family movie night

Des’ glow-in-the-dark dinosaurs finally brought upstairs from Christmas. Not quite installed yet, it does appear they’re doing the dinosaurumpus (thanks again, great-grandpa Irv!)

February 13th, 2018

Eleanor sucking back some almond milk (mom had a rare evening work event) while reading a book with dad before bed. She was indifferent at first, though as dad offered to be a cup holder (drink more, sleep longer), she indulged throughout story time

I want to be your personal penguin…