Like Any Other Night

7:30 pm

We ascend the stairs to the boys shared room upstairs.  I have to duck beneath the solar system that's hanging from the ridiculously low ceiling while dodging ninja turtles and dress-up clothes.  We pile into Zander's bunk.  "Who wants to pray first?" I ask.

"Meeeee!"  Liam and Noa say simultaneously.

Liam: "Dear Desus, tanks for a dood day, help Dwampa Gigi to feel better, dive us a dood sleep, Amen."

Zander: "Dear Jesus, thanks for a good day, help Grandpa Gigi and Ms. Castles to feel better and not have cancer anymore.  Keep Daddy safe at work.  Give us a good sleep.  I love you, Jesus, Amen."

Noa: "Yeah, Yeah!"

Mommy: "Dear Jesus, thank you for keeping us safe and for the beautiful sunshine.  Give us patience with each other and help us get along.  Please give us all a good night's sleep - all night - in our own beds -  and help us to have a good day tomorrow.  We love you, Jesus, Amen."

"What song do you want, Zander?"
"You Are My Sunshine - and rub my back."  And he rolls over so I can rub his back and sing to him and I do.
"Do you want dream angels?"
He sits up.  "Yes."
"What kind?"
"Hmmmm...Going to Disney World."
So I tickle his scalp with my finger tips and make kissy noises - these are dream angels.
"Hug?"
He hugs me.
"Kiss?"
He kisses me.
"Good night, Zander."
"Good night, Mommy."

I crawl into Liam's bunk.
"Do you want a song?"
"Wudolph Da Wed Nosed Weindeer! Wub my back!" And he rolls over so I can rub his back and sing to him and I do.
He stops me.  "No, Mommy, wap."
So I rap Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer and he giggles because it's funny when mommy raps.

"Do you want dream angels?"

He sits up.  "Yes."

"What kind?"

"Buzz Lightyear!" he says with enthusiasm

So I tickle his scalp with my finger tips and make kissy noises and I throw in a "to infinity and beyond" for good measure.

"Hug?"

He hugs me.

"Kiss?"

He kisses me.

"Good night, Liam."

"Dood night, Mommy."

I pull Noa out of Zander's bed where they're cuddling.  

"Do you want angels, Noa?" Zander asks her.

"Yeah!"

"What kind?"

"Bzzzzzzz!" That's Buzz Lightyear.

So Zander delivers her angels and kisses her.

I hold her so Liam can kiss her and add his own angels.

I turn on the globe that shows the constellations in the dark and then Noa and I pick our way through the toys on the floor to the door.

Mommy: "See you later, alligator."

Zander: "In awhile, crocodile."

Mommy: "See you soon, baboon."

Zander: "See you 'round, funny clown."

Mommy: "Time I went, elephant."

Zander: "See you later, silly turtle."  (It doesn't rhyme but he thinks it's funny.)

Mommy: "Good night, sleep tight, don't let the Zipparumpazoo's bite...I love you!"

Zander and Liam: "Love you, too."

Mommy: "Good night!"

Zander and Liam: "Good night."

And kisses are blown and the light is turned off and I breathe out a satisfied sigh.  Two down.  One to go.