"Mommy Do Nuggles"

Earlier this week, I noted that Li'l Empress has experienced success and increased confidence in staying in her toddler class at church.  Well, I think I was so high on the adrenaline rush of her recent accomplishments (potty training has been deeee-lite-ful with her!) and feeling so refreshed by the ability to sit through an entire worship service and sermon that I lined up another "project" for us to tackle together this past Monday.  This one is no less important, but as we are gaining some great progress, I found it's actually been more bittersweet than I expected it to be.

We are training Li'l Empress to be able
to do her night time routine with Shaggy.

On the surface, it sounds like no big deal.  And the carrying out of the project has really been no big deal, for Shaggy or for Li'l Empress. We've been wearing her out before lunch daily in the pool to make her really ready for nap time. So at 11 a.m. for the last three or four days, screams of laughter and "do agin," have been echoing around our pool area while the big brothers indulge her repetitive need to jump into their arms, "race" them across the pool, and engage in splash fests. She's been sooooo tired that I'm pretty sure it wouldn't have mattered WHO was laying her down for her naps. But I keyed into it on Monday afternoon. As attached as she is to me and as often as she begs for "Mommy do nuggles" at night time, I knew it would make the transition easier  to take advantage of her exhaustion.

The Boss and I haven't had a date night out in 2 years. And really, we need to institute some sort of date night into our schedule again. It's worked really well since she came home to limit our "out of the house" date times to coffee or late lunches while she napped, but the opportunity presented itself this week in the form of a really weary toddler and a willing big brother. I jumped at the chance and she's gone down for naptime really well for him each afternoon.

Last night, I asked Shaggy to give the night time routine a whirl.  She was tired, having played after dinner in the pool with Daddy.  I was exhausted, having run around all evening cleaning up and getting the dinner, laundry, dishes, lists, and more laundry finished up for the night. Shaggy was willing, having long ago pledged himself to be Li'l Empress's loyal subject and bondslave for life.  He walked her through the night time routine, she settled in and fell right to sleep.

I was left feeling a bit bereft.  A little adrift.

A little more tense and stressed than I normally feel

at that time of the night.

I missed "nuggle" time.  

No matter how hard the day has been, no matter how willfully Li'l Empress has behaved, no matter how stressed I am at the end of a long, busy day: that time with Li'l Empress is almost always the most peaceful, sweet moment of my day. I take pleasure in the warmth of her little body on my lap. She prays to Jeee-ah in her sweet little voice, thanking Him for her Daddy and Mommy, and I can physically feel the tension leaving my neck and shoulders.  She burrows that little head into the crook of my neck and I sigh in contentment.  She chirps a little, "I lah looo, Mommy," as I lay her down to bed with her doggie and blankie and I know the day is done. And most days, I'm pleased to know that it was done well.

So, while it's very important that Li'l Empress be very comfortable with Shaggy being able to put her down for bed and be able to fall asleep with a slightly different routine at bedtime, I have to say, I'm pretty sure it's not going to happen too often for a while yet. As long as she is still begging for "Mommy do nuggles," you can bet I'm not gonna be giving it up easily after last night. I have a feeling, in the big picture, it's not going to last much longer. She'll be three at the end of the summer. I don't want to miss any more chances to end the day with those "nuggles," than I absolutely have to.