Evening

Just saying the word makes me tired.  There is nothing nocturnal about me.  Our regimented evening routine kicks off around 5 or 5:30 with dinner.  We try to eat dinner together most nights during the week; I think it’s important to have this family time each day.  I’m constantly struggling to take part in eating when everyone else does.  You’ll often find me standing around the island inhaling my food before it gets cold, anticipating their next need—I trust this will get better in time.  Life raising small kids makes a hot uninterrupted meal at the top of my wish list.

I’m on the fast track by 6, powering through my least favorite time of the day.  I am not a fan of night time routine and need to figure out how to find the joy in this time together.  If I didn’t get up so early, I think I’d have a chance but for now I look forward to the Fall when our days get shorter.  After we finish dinner and cleanup around 5:45 or 6, we make a quick transition upstairs for bath, books and bed.  We conquer and divide, Matt and Ava go one direction, Carson and I go another. 

When everyone is clean, PJ’s on and teeth brushed (myself included), we meet in our room or the playroom for our final minutes together before bed.  At this point, I’m beckoning the moment when I can collapse into bed and snuggle up to a good book that is sure to put me asleep in two minutes flat.

Around 7:30, Matt and Ava go into her room to play a game and read, while Carson and I head into his room.  Carson just recently started sitting still long enough to let me read to him, I love it. It’s my favorite part of our nighttime routine.  Right now, he loves “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” and anything with trains, planes and automobiles.  Carson is usually ready for bed around 8.

My poor husband.  Matt likes to stay awake until at least 10 and most days this results in a lonely evening for him.   I have the best of intentions to stay awake before he finishes putting Ava to bed, but fail most nights.  By 8:45 (at the latest) he finds me mouth open and eyes closed.