New bedtime routine with lots of thanksgiving

Most of the time, I am the one putting the kids to bed. First Peanut, then Coqui. Peanut goes quick, her stories are not as long yet. Coqui's stories become longer and longer, and even though some nights I wish he could read them himself, I would really miss it if he would start tomorrow with it. So I am enjoying it for now. Actually, I really like bedtime and the closeness we have during that time. No schedule or agenda, where I need to rush the kids, but just relaxed time together to end the day. It's my favorite time of day. (Also because after they are in bed, I get to have some hubby-time, some time to blog or watch TV; time to be an adult.)

Well, some nights, it just had to asked for some help from the Hubby, so he would put Coqui to bed. Peanut just doesn't like anybody else but me. It's actually pretty exhausting. At least for each and every evening that I am in the house. Because when I am not at home, she is fine with Daddy putting her down.

Lately, Peanut has had the attitude that only I (me) was allowed to serve her! Now I do that once, or maybe twice, but when it happened over and over again, I had to put a stop to it. And while applying it during the day, I knew I needed to make a big change in the bedtime routine. So I told the Hubby that from now on, he is in charge of HER bedtime. There was much objection from her of course, at first, but now she seems to be okay with it.

So now, that I am spending real good time with Coqui alone, I wanted to incorporate a new routine into HIS bedtime, something that I am surprised we have not been doing regularly. Bedtime prayer! So now, every night after lights-out, he has me pray first, and then he prays. I love his attitude about it, too, because he doesn't ask for much, it's more being thankful. So tonight, he had this real cute prayer that I wanted to share:

"Dear Lord heavenly Father, thank you for this wonderful day. Thank you for the weather, for the rain and for the sunshine. Thank you for you, thank you for my Mami (I am being hugged at this moment!), and my Daddy, thank you for my sister, and for my Munchkin. Thank you for my grandma and grandpa - hey, Mami, I have two of those, right? (Yes, Coqui.) So Lord, thank you for both. I praise, praise, praise you, God. I love you, God. Thank you for friends, and playing at church (we went to our church this morning). Thank you for the food we eat, and thank you for my toys, thank you for my school books. I love you God. Watch over me at night. Thank you for protecting me. Thank you for having me not cough so much today (his cough had been quite bad that we had to call of our field trip tomorrow). Thank you for taking it away. Can you just take away the whole cold that I don't sneeze so much anymore? make gone by tomorrow afternoon. I love you, oh Lord. Amen."

Yes, I know, his prayers are quite lengthy but I love them. I love that he puts those 'big' words in there and I love that he is so thankful. His heart is so tender and it melts my heart. But I guess I am a bit bias here. It's also funny that he gives God an 'ultimatum' - but I know that he is sick of being sick.... so I guess that's what it going through his mind when he ask to be healed. He will learn that things happen on God's timing not his, but for now, it's just too cute.

Hope you all have a good night. May God bless you.