My Rainbow Connection – My Toddler, My Baby, and Me

Last night was difficult.  My husband has had to work late all week, and tonight was no exception.  After dinner, I got my baby girl to sleep pretty easily.  My son was a bit riled up from a spontaneous visit by his grandparents, but I finally got him to settle down soon after they left.  Just as I was about to put him to bed, my daughter woke up.  I tried to settle her, but she wouldn’t go back to sleep.  Meanwhile, my son sat on (yes, on) my feet quietly playing Angry Birds on my phone.  I wasn’t thrilled with this activity, but he didn’t want to be alone and I didn’t have many other options for keeping him quiet and entertained.  My daughter kept dozing back off, but every time we tried to leave, she’d wake up again.  My son was starting to lose patience and started climbing on me and making silly noises, thus prolonging the whole process.

I eventually gave up on getting my daughter back to sleep, knowing that she is the easier one to put back down.  I sat her in her bouncy seat and decided to concentrate on getting my son to bed.  I put his pajamas on him, nursed him, gave him his vitamins, and brushed his teeth.  I shut off the light and the three of us climbed into bed.  By the glow of a flashlight, he “read” me The Napping House and then it was my turn to read it to both of my children.  I kissed them each goodnight.  I put my daughter in the co-sleeper next to my bed and had my son lie down in his spot (in the center of our bed).  He wanted me to snuggle with him, but I needed to nurse my daughter back to sleep.  I explained this and offered him my foot.  It sounds funny, I know, but he needed to feel connected any way he could.  He cuddled with my foot as if it were a teddy bear.  After a bit of fussing, my daughter finally fell back asleep.  I then scooted my son over (as he was now lying on top of my legs) and snuggled up close to him.  He fell asleep in my arms to a lullaby rendition of The Rainbow Connection.

From chaos came peace.  I got a little teary eyed as I lay there.  Earlier, I was thinking “How in the world am I going to do this?”  But there I was.  I had done it.  I got them both to sleep at the same time.  By myself.  And it wasn’t easy.  But, I did it.  I was a mother to my children.  There was the something that I was supposed to be.  Somehow I found it, my Rainbow Connection – my toddler, my baby, and me.  La da da dee da da doo, la da da da da dee da doo.

The Rainbow Connection: http://youtu.be/jSFLZ-MzIhM