To balance the sweet

Last night was not at all like the night before. Trying to get the kids down to bed 30 minutes early (because they had an 8 am flight to New Brunswick today) failed miserably. There was much fussing to get pjs on, bouncing on the bed, tearing around the house with drippy toothbrushes hanging from the their mouths, etc. When I kissed them goodnight and left the bedroom, Sophie burst into tears. I returned after 5 minutes and she claimed that her big brother had hurt her. Something he of course instantly denied and who knows, at this point. Sophie agreed to be moved into her own bed and proceeded to wail because she can't get apple juice after teeth-brushing.

After a further 5 minutes of high volume crying, Sebastian starts to bellow that he needs Sophie to go to another room. I scoop a very sad Sophie up in my arms and proceed to cuddle her down to sleep in our room in under 10 minutes.

Sebastian meanwhile is tossing and turning and starts to cry because he is so frustrated that he can't fall asleep. I go in again and lie with him for 2 minutes and then suggest that perhaps he can try to think of all the things that I will be doing in Toronto while he is gone for 3 1/2 days and I will dream up all the things he might do in NB, and we tell each other the next day. That seems to have done the trick.

So no, not all days end up with two tykes cuddled up while they slumber. Nor do they always start at the luxurious hour of 7.20 am. This morning, Seb hopped into our bed at 5 because he was so excited to head to New Brunswick... (For the record, he pictures me working the whole time he is gone. I have some other more fun things planned).