Bedtime Stories

*Edited to remove controversial topics*

Before I pulled the plug on naptime for the tots at this house, bedtime was getting a bit challenging for the 3 year olds.  With the transition to big boy/girl beds and with the bedtime difficulties due to naptime, I found myself laying in bed with my kids even after reading stories, talking, singing songs, and praying.....which is totally fine on occasion, but is not how I want my toddlers to learn to sleep in their new beds, with mom at their side 'til their asleep.
One night when I felt like bedtime had taken forever and I really wanted to begin my the-kids-are-finally-sleeping evening routine, I attempted to slink out of Jack's bed.

"No Mamma," he protested. "Lay with me."

"But Jack," I explained, "Mamma needs to take a shower. I stink."

"No, you don't stink," he assured me as he hooked his surprisingly strong little arm through mine, tightening every muscle in order to hold me in bed.

*sigh* I laid with him for awhile longer, watching his eyelids finally begin to droop. I shifted in his bed and started to sneak out.

He half opened his eyes and whispered, "You do stink."

I was just saying that in an attempt to get on with my evening.

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One morning we were all sorta sleeping in and we heard the tots overhead in the their rooms. One woke up, went and got the other, and the two tip-toed downstairs together.

In the early light, I could see two little blonde heads poke their faces into our room.

"Hi babies," I call. "Come here."

They climb up into our bed together. Kneeling on the end of the bed, Jack puts his arm around his sister and says, "This is my friend, Ava."

Ummm, nice to meet you....?