Our special routine, the same every night

As a mother who works full-time, the evenings with my girls are extra special.
That's when we color, bake, paint our finger nails, play pretend, take a walk, or grocery shop.

And now, I get more time with them than I ever have. For the past 6 years, I have worked out of a model home from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on most days. Though these are not bad hours, I worked most weekends and depending on where the new home community was located, I did not get home until close to 7 p.m. That did not leave much evening time with the girls, but I still tried to make the most of it.

Since I started my new job three months ago, I now work a glorious 9 to 5 shift plus later for some appointments. Yes, I still work many weekends, but it's great to be home by 5:15 p.m. since I live VERY close to my current model home.

I am able to make dinner more often, instead of take-out (good thing, since there aren't many options around here!) and have appreciated the extra time with my family.

Tonight, the girls and I watched a cartoon together and danced during the final credits music, as has become our after-movie tradition!

After playtime, we begin our hour-long nightly routine. It goes something like this:

• Remove Adria's shoes, leg braces, and socks.
• Catheterize Adria and flush out bladder. Insert mini Enemeez.
• Sit Adria on potty for about 20 min. She usually plays games on my iPhone to occupy.
• Wash up Johanna (bath time every other night), change diaper and put on her pajamas.
• Make Jo an 8 oz. bottle of milk and put her in Daddy's lap with her favorite fuzzy green blanket.
• Give Adria her two evening meds - 1/2 tsp of Oxybutanin (bladder relaxant) and 1 tsp of Sulfamethoxazole (antibiotic to help prevent UTIs).
• Put on Adria's diaper, wash face and brush teeth then put on the PJs.
• Lie Adria in her bed, Johanna joins us but spends most the time crawling all over, in and out of the bed and stepping on sister's hair.
• Say the Lord's Prayer with Daddy.
• Read Adria a story, usually from the Highlight's High Five magazine, which arrive monthly. Thanks Grandma!
• Sing a lullaby. Most nights she asks for her favorite "Hush Little Baby." Mommy is tired of singing it over and over, but she loves it.
• Kisses to Adria. Lights out. But it's not over yet.
• Bring Johanna in her room and sit together in rocking chair, while lullabies play in the background.
• Read her one or two toddler books.
• Lights out. Rock a few minutes more. Enjoy the sweet smell of her hair or try to contain her if she's in wiggly mode.
• Kisses to Johanna and into the crib she goes. Night, night. She's just started responding with her own "night-night, ma". So cute!
• Crash on couch after some minor tidying and relax with my man.

Most nights I love this routine, some nights it seems to go on forever. But it works for us and gives me precious quality time with each of my loves.

Here's a video of Adria and I singing her favorite lullaby.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7F89SW-H9G8