Kylie's bedtime routine :)

I was sitting here thinking over our time in Springfield and I wanted to share a little story about our rather complicated bedtime routine.  

First things first.  Kylie Maye always has to have her milk before she goes to bed.  She's such a dairy girl.  Her main preference is that it has "choc" in it.  Believe me when I say, she doesn't let you "accidentally" forget the chocolate instant breakfast.  She cracks me up.  She'll ask for milk saying, "I milk", and before you can respond with, "Okay, sweetie", she throws in "with choc!"  

After she has her milk with "choc", we lay down and cuddle as she attempts to play with my eyelashes.  She has done this since she was about two months old.  For some reason, playing with eyelashes helps her to sleep.  It's the oddest thing.  But, ever since she was 18 months old, we've been trying to break her of this.  Yet, she is the most stubborn little thing I've ever met.  So, telling her, "No.  Don't play with my eyelashes" is part of our nightly routine as well. 

Next, we say our prayers.  She bows her little head and closes her eyes as tight as she can while I begin to pray.  She often chimes in saying, "Thanks - Mommy, Daddy, MaMaw, PaPaw, Puppy ..." and she'll keep thanking God for her little circle of family and friends until I'm done praying.  She likes to pray with you simultaneously.  I love it.  

And, it's not over yet.  She likes for me to sing to her.  Now, this is my favorite part.  She doesn't necessarily want a lullaby.  She wants me to sing about everybody we just prayed for.  She'll say, "Sing ... Jay."  So, I'll come up with a fun song about Jay to some random tune.  I'll go ahead and let you know her typical progression ... it typically starts with Casey, then Robbie, Jay, MaMaw, PaPaw, Mi (Mica), Ian (Aaron), Nate (Nathan), Claire (Ann Claire), Lila, Mommy, Daddy, Puppy, and she could add just about anybody else that she wants.  However, these are the main ones chosen.  Haha.  So, feel special you guys.  Kylie and I sing about you every night.  What I love about this part of the night is when she decides on who to sing about.  For example, she'll say "Sing Robbie, yeah, yeah, sing Robbie."  That's how she says it every time.  She has to throw in the "yeah, yeah".  Too stinkin' cute.  

She has recently added one more aspect to this extremely drawn out bed time routine.  One night about a week ago, I started to rub her back as she was going to sleep.  It took me back to when I was little, and Casey and I would always tickle each others backs.  (Okay, so maybe we still do that if we spend the night together.  What?)  So, as I was rubbing Kylie's back I thought she would really enjoy it being tickled real lightly like Casey and I do.  Well, now she is expecting it.  She'll say, "Mommy, tickle."  I'll appease her for a minute or so and try to fade it out.  It's then that she reaches back on her back as if to say "Keep going."  Haha.  Hopefully we can phase that one back out of the nightly routine.  

All this to say, I love my sweet little woman.  It's a blessing to be able to put her down to sleep each night.  She is so very precious.  It may take her 30 minutes to finally go to sleep, but I so enjoy every one of those 30 minutes.

Oh, and by the way.  We've already been here 3 weeks.  I can't believe it!  Craziness.  Life always does seem to fly by.  Here's a few pictures to keep you updated on how we've been spending our time :)

The Discovery Center!

It's a hands on science museum :)

She LOVED the decked out miniature apartment.

It was hard to pull her away from the magnets.  Haha.  I'm too funny.

BLACKLIGHT!

He's on top of the world!

Trying to teach Kylie to be a better navigator than Mommy is.

Two of our good friends from Conway, David and Rachel, are up here in Springfield.  They just so happen to have an adorable little woman that's close to Kylie's age.  

Kylie loves Lizzie :)

Told you!  They're too cute.

The park!

Riding her dinosaur.

Having fun at the Nature Center!

Pretty, pretty.

So fun.

This deer was awesome!  It walked beside us forever.

I'm sure these next seven weeks will fly by, and then we'll probably be missing Springfield a little.  We get attached a little too easily.  Maybe that's a good thing.  I love loving life with my heart wide open.  It truly is a wonderful life :-D  Thank you Lord for blessing me with it.