Our routine...the blanket, the pacie, the movie, the prayer and the fan

Some kids get a bath and book before bed, but not our Sophie. Well, she gets a bath most nights, but it isn't what gets her ready for bed. She gets her favorite blanket, from our fabulous neighbor Heidi, which is clearly a Christmas themed, fuzzy, fleecy, throw of goodness. I love that even when I wash it, the next morning after Sophie sleeps with it, it smells like her. Isn't it funny when kids have millions of wonderful, soft, most often handmade blankets to choose from and they choose one you wouldn't expect? This blanket started out as being a cover for her when we would take walks in the winter, and I don't know how, but it ended up being the "one". Next,
she gets her pacie. She has had that clip since before she was born and it is still going strong. Thanks Jennifer. The cord is nasty most of the time, but oh well. She can work that thing amazingly in her sleep. She only gets her pacie when it is time to sleep or on longer car trips when we need some sanity, so when it comes out in conjunction with the blankie, the sandman wheels start turning. By the way, this picture is in no way staged. I used to bring out her blanket and put it next to her and I would hold her while we watched something, but one time before I could get there she moved it to the side and cozied up like she'd been doing it for ages. The third leg of the routine is a movie. For the longest time, it was Baby Einstein videos. But now she only wants Elmo. Thank goodness for DVR and lots of recorded episodes and PBS. So we fast forward Sesame Street until about minute 40 or so when Elmo's World comes on, and let nature take its course. After 18 minutes or so, we tell her it is time to go to bed and say prayers. She folds her arms and leans her head against me. 95% of the time she is golden. We put her box fan on and enjoy an evening free of our little Sophie. We rather enjoy our routine.