Bedtime for Kate, etc.

Putting Kate to bed has its own nuances. She has to put her own toothpaste on her toothbrush, even though she's guaranteed to empty about half the tube if you look away for a moment. She can be a struggle with her pajamas, alternately wanting to do it...and not wanting to do it. Few things are as frustrating as her sitting there with her pajama top half on, unwilling to go any further.

And then, of course, she's sweet: we're in bed settling in to read a story, and she reminds, "Put your arm over me," if I haven't done that yet. She then nestles in, getting comfortable, and we read.

For songs, we tend to always sing "Swing on a star." I ask her what she wants to hear, and she usually says, "Swing-ing on-a star." Sometimes she says "Doe, a deer," and I remind her, no, that's Mommy's song. And she says, "Oh. Right." And "Swing on a star" it is. Sometimes she interrupts me during. "You forgot the horse," she says. No, Kate, horse is next, or, No, Kate, I just did the horse. "Oh. Right."

Sometimes she touches my face as I sing, tracing my eyebrow or something. As if to make sure I'm still there. I finish the song, we hug goodnight, and I head downstairs.

At least until she needs a cup of water, or to have the sheets pulled up again, or.....

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I had to give Jack a stern talking to today about manners; he wasn't as polite as I'd like at the end of a playdate. He took it pretty hard and was silent, buried in his jacket and hat all the way to pick up Kate after preschool.

Kate of course knew immediately that Jack was upset. "What's wrong, Jack? Daddy, why is my brother sad?" (Love when she calls him 'my brother.') "What's wrong, Jack?" I gave a brief explanation.

As we pulled into the driveway, Kate said to Jack, "It's okay, Jack. Jack! Want to go play with my baby? Jack? Want to go make a house nook in your room?" (They did this yesterday....set up a big scene on his bed with all their stuffed animals and all of their various Valentine's Day candies.) "Come on, Jack." As the door opened, she said, "Want to get out before me, Jack?" (This is occasionally a competition. Tonight, it wasn't.)