The Sweetest Things

Ever since Kirra has been in a big girl bed she has wanted someone to 'lay' by her while she goes to sleep. In the beginning it was her daddy, but soon the only choice in her mind was Mommy! After her nightly rituals and family prayers I always climb into bed with her to help her go to sleep -- and most often I would fall asleep with her.

A few months ago I got to my breaking point where I was having to stay in there too long with her or just the fact that I was going to bed so early that nothing was getting done around the house. In September we started a "Sleeping Calendar" and it has been an amazing addition to the many rituals that go on in our house. Kirra gets her mommy for ten minutes each night to lay by her and then Scott comes and gets me and Kirra stays in bed. If she doesn't cry, yell, or keep asking us to come back then she gets a sticker on her "Sleeping Calendar" in the morning. I wasn't sure how this was going to work in the beginning so I promised that we we go out for ice cream if she could do it for three nights in a row. It was a little rough the first night, but ever since we haven't had hardly a problem. We went out for our ice cream and then I showed her the last day of September on the calendar and told her that was surprise day. As long as she got a sticker everyday then she would get a surprise. She did great and for her surprise she got a Cinderella doll!

For October she just assumed the surprise came on the last day of the month and just watched the stickers fill up the calendar. Thank goodness I had some things leftover from an awesome garage sale I went to that I could give her on "Surprise Day" because I had forgotten to get something. The glow-in-the-dark alligator puzzle and Barbie notepad were big hits! When November started we forgot to print a new calendar and each night she would remind me that we needed a turkey sleeping calendar -- so it's up now!

So big intro to these oh, so sweet words from my girl. I do love the ten minutes I get to spend with her each night in her bed because we talk about lots of fun things, get to snuggle and spend some one-on-one time together.

Kirra: I always love you.
Mom: Oh, thank you! I always love you too!
Kirra: I think about loving you in the daytime, at nap, and nighttime. I always have it in my heart!