Wednesday, July 21, 2010

The Stay at Home Mom Chronicles: Weaving a Bedtime Story

I'm realizing that my days around here seem to run together.
Ordinary moments unfold around me daily
and I need to stop and relish in them.
One day, my boys will be out living life
and I will miss these everyday experiences.

So, I am taking the time to document
the simple moments that pass between us.
I'm calling this little collection of memories
The Stay At Home Mom Chronicles.

Photobucket


Wednesday 8 pm : Telling Griffin stories until he falls asleep.


Bedtime in our home is over indulgent.
There is snuggling and plenty of stories
being told to lull a little boy to sleep.
Roger and I each take bedtime duties for a kid each night.
I handle Koen and he handles Griffin.

Except on Wednesday nights,
when I crawl into bed with Griffin and we snuggle up.
I was missing our bedtime routine
and so I am the lucky lady laying next to him as he drifts
off into sleepyville.

I tell him stories until he falls alseep.
It is my favorite time of day.
Even though I'm exhausted and would rather
quickly kiss his forhead, turn out the lights,
and retire to the couch,
there is something about that quiet time
that sparks a memory for me.

I remember laying in bed next to my grandpa
(who we lovingly called Pappaw)
and having him weave the most dramatic and amazing bedtime stories.
My little mind would be filled with adventures
and I felt so safe and loved
as the stories filled the room.

Now, I lay beside my son and let my imagination take over.
I adore making up stories and finding new adventures.

We've met a silly mouse in a pirate ship
named Gertrude who leads us to a three story tree house
on an island far away.
Inside, a treasure map is hidden.
The treehouse has a magic spell that makes anyone who enters
want to fall alseep.

We've floated into the sky to a cloud city
where a celebration is unfolding.
The residents of Cloud City
were about to crown a new king but the crown is missing.
Only the bravest boy can find the crown that is floating in a sleepy cloud.
The whole town is counting on Griffin
to go on a perilous adventure to find the crown.
Yet...the clouds make him sleepy as he floats through them.

There are more stories than I can fit into
a neatly wrapped up post.
Every Wednesday night, a new tale unfolds.
I treasure the moments that I spend
laying next to Griffin and creating the same lovely place for him
that my Pappaw created for me as a child.

Although, there are those nights that
I threaten to take away every single toy
that he owns if he doesn't quit wiggling and just fall alseep.
I bet that I will even remember those nights
and smile.

10 comments:

R Montalban said...

You are just so so very lovely.

R Montalban said...

You are just so so very lovely.

MommyLovesStilettos said...

You are so inspiring :)

Caroline said...

You are awesome. He will always remember his bedtime as something magical, I just know it.
We do something similar along with reading books, but I have not a fraction of the creativeness you have in telling stories. I usually get stuck on telling a story about a princess in a sparkly dress with a rainbow colored horse and that's about as fun as my story gets. ;)
Seriously, I think you should try and write a children's book. It sounds like you've got some pretty sweet material.

Lovely in every single way.

Susan Anderson said...

My husband could always make up amazing stories like that, but I am not as creative as you are.

What wonderful memories both you and your son will have!

=)

Unknown said...

Iused to do a poem for my boys. in a monotone voice..
You are floating on a big white fluffy cloud in a clear blue sky
a cool breeze blows past you and you feel safe and secure calm and relaxed..in the distance you hear the calming rhythm of a waterfall and the chirps of birds flying past all while tucked safely in your little cloud, peaceful and quiet.. ueah I need to stop now lol

LisaDay said...

What a precious ritual.

LisaDay

Tracie said...

You're a good mom. You'll both remember this ritual forever.

Karen Mortensen said...

So sweet. You are a wondeful mom.

Unknown said...

You are a far better mom than I. I don't have the patience/energy for this most nights and I read from the books. I can't make things up like you do---which sounds so sweet, by the way...

;-)