Reading before bed

Carmela's bedtime routine is fairly epic. It starts early with getting some jammies on. (It would be a mistake to think these will be the jammies she actually falls asleep in.) Then there's a drink of water. Then brushing teeth. She and Mama start reading a story, but then Carmela says, "Heyyy, we forgot to have milky on the couch." It's part of a little game we play that allows her to think she's pulling one over on Mom. Mom's alright with it. It's fun.

So then, out of bed, to the couch for some snuggling and milky. After milky wraps up, she says goodnight to Daddy, and Puffy, and Tiny, if he's around, and then Mama carries her to her bedroom. But it's not actually lights out, night-night time yet.

Now the stories start. Carmela and Mama read three stories. Then Mama snuggles Carmela up (tucks her in) and helps her say her prayers. But no one is actually going to sleep yet.

First, Carmela kicks off all her blankets. Then she requests an outfit change, either because her leggings are too warm, or her shirt is too warm, or, Mama's favorite, her shirt is too "bunchy." Mama and Carmela go around and around about which shirt will be suitable to wear. This is when Mama communicates to Miss Carmela that Mama's beginning to run out of patience and if Miss Carmela doesn't lie down and go to sleep soon, Mama will not be reading for awhile in her rocking chair, but will instead be leaving. Carmela concedes, Mama snuggles her up again, tells her good night, honey, it's time to go to sleep, and then sits in her chair and opens her book to read. But no one is actually going to sleep yet.

After a few minutes of thrashing around, kicking off her covers, trying to pull her covers back up, sitting up, lying with her head at the foot of the bed, sitting up, flopping over with her head at the head of the bed, sticking her feet in the air, and thrumming her fingers on the edge of the bed, Mama firmly and rather loudly tells Carmela to go to sleep. Carmela clamps her eyes shut tightly in a display of willingness. Then she kicks her blankets off again, and complains to Mama that she's not covered up.

Soon after Mama snuggles her up again, and admonishes her to go to sleep again, Carmela begins to either sing quietly or whisper to herself. Mama sighs, sets down her book, but doesn't say anything yet. Carmela then tries to strike up a conversation, starting by saying, "Mammaaaa ...."

"Go to sleep, Carmela," Mama replies.

"But I have a question. About my eye," Carmela says.

"Ask me tomorrow, Carmela. I need you to go to sleep right now or I'm going to have to leave, and I really want to stay with you and read my book."

"OK."

...

"Mammmaaaa?"

"Go to sleep, Carmela."

...

"Mammaaa? I'm getting sleepy."

"OK, Carmela. Good girl. Go to sleep."

And on and on. A few minutes later, Carmela kicks off her covers and complains that she's having trouble going to sleep. Mama encourages her to keep trying. Sometimes Mama leaves, there is crying and carrying on, &c. Sometimes Carmela has less trouble and does manage to fall right to sleep. Is it awful? No, not really. Does it take a long time? Yeah, kind of. But Mama and Daddy know Carmela's always had trouble going to sleep, and they understand that no one can fall asleep on command. With luck, she'll learn how to help herself happily and peacefully go to sleep.