The days in the life of a parent of a toddler can be quite chaotic, and full of ups and downs. Today was a particularly challenging day for me, as was yesterday. Still, despite my feelings about how the past couple of days have gone, I can truthfully say that there have been some wonderful moments woven in among the not so wonderful ones.
Sometimes when I feel like things are not going well and like I am failing miserably at being the kind of mom that I want to be, I take comfort in the good moments regardless of how few and far between they may be on any given day. There is one time of day which has been a fairly consistent source of good moments lately, and that is bedtime. Bedtime is my favorite time of day, and not just because the kids are going to bed.
Even though sometimes it is hard to get Dylan to settle down and get into bedtime mode, once it really happens, it is very enjoyable. We read books, and then I lay the baby down to sleep. After that, it’s time to call my husband and leave a good night voice mail because he works late and comes home long after Dylan goes to bed. After that, it is time to snuggle and talk until Dylan falls asleep.
In those calm and quiet moments while we are cuddled up in bed and Dylan is talking to me, I am able to see the very best in my son. I catch glimpses of his growing intelligence, his extraordinary imagination, and his keen sense of humor. I also get to see him as the sweet and loving little boy that he is, the sweet little boy who melts my heart when he declares that he wants to “fall asleep in you own arms, Mommy”.