A day in the life: Dinner-Bath-Bedtime

I know that in 10 years, these will be the things I forget. The everyday, mundane (HA!) things we did all the time. I laugh because with a 4, 2 and 1 year old? Nothing about any minute of our day is mundane.

Anyways, I got trigger happy with the iPhone camera the other night, and captured our typical dinner, bath and bedtime routine.

At first, Ellie did not approve. (shocker)

But she warmed up and even posed with her corn dog for me! (Gross, I know.)

Hmm, what is with my kids holding their dinner items up in the air?

After dinner, I wipe the kids down and try to clean up the kitchen a little bit so that we don't have 1,000 guests in the morning in the form of ants.

I send the kids up to our bedroom and am always amused at how I find them when I join them a few minutes later. Ellie can be found trying on Rob's and my shoes 99% of the time. Tiara optional.

Robbie is always running around, like he is in the background of this picture. I think he has convinced himself that HE. IS. DASH. FROM. THE. INCREDIBLES.

Don't be fooled...

...fake affection is always the start of a wrestling match. I was dying as I took this picture, because he had Ellie pinned (only because she was lying limp and loving every second) and was just poking at her back!

After chasing each child down, stripping them nekkid, and threatening them within an inch of their lives (with the exception of Maddie), the 3 of them land in the tub like this:

I love bathing them together. I wonder when I should consider separating Robbie from the girls. Sad day when that happens, for now they love being together!

She is such a lovely wet bundle. And she always pees on the carpet just before I can get her diaper on her. Look at those cheeks - do you think I care?

Wrangle pj's on everyone, brush teeth, and if Daddy's not home yet, turn on a show to calm them down.

Trouble on the loose...

Don't be fooled by the posture and blankets - those expressions read: "The joke's on you if you think we're tired."

This is the portion of the evening where Robbie jumps back and forth over his sister who foolishly goes along with his hair-brained ideas and lays still for stuff like this.

Daddy comes home! And joins the wrestling. And things ramp up a little bit.

Certain parties find themselves standing 'at attention' (I kid you not) before their father for stern reminders of what is acceptable and what is not during wrestling time. He taught them this posture, I guess!? I am dying.

We move to the bed for some relaxing and winding down.

And a few updated Livingston Kids pictures. They were feeling goofy.

Oh my word, check out the baby being crazy! ON PURPOSE. She's one of them now.

I pinch myself and make sure I'm not dreaming that these 3 adorable kids are mine.

Maddie goes down first, and always relatively easily. Then Robbie and Ellie are ushered into their rooms, and Robbie goes down after hugs and kisses and prayers with mom and dad. Ellie... well she's the wild card right now. This week she's tested boundaries at bedtime and earned herself a few consequences. Not fun for anyone - isn't it the worst sending kids to bed after discipline? I prefer hugs and kisses and happy obedience and sweet dreams.

She gets in bed (eventually), insists on her particular sevie-lala and whatever stuffed animal she has attached herself to that day, and the stalling begins. Sing "Holy, Holy, Holy" mommy! Now let's pray mommy. I need cough medicine mommy. You sleep with me, mommy? You didn't give me a hug and a kiss! I DIDN'T GIVE YOU A SQUEEZE HUG! (Extra tight and long hug that chokes me.) And then she just starts to whine in a baby voice, MAAAA-MAAAA! I eventually satisfy her need for extra time with mommy, and leave her bedroom.

More nights this week than not, she snuck out of her bedroom and was quietly watching TV from the top of the stairs over our heads. And then around 3 or 4am she was routinely waking up and coming into our bedroom. Poor Rob would be up for the day since it's not far off from the time he wakes up to get ready for work, so we were not thrilled about this new sleep disturbance. After being put back to bed, she would only sleep until 6am and then be up for the day.

Last night she didn't wake up through the night and slept until 6:45am, when all 3 kids woke up simultaneously! We'll take it.

And that is dinner-bath-bedtime around here!