Days End

Night times around here are pretty exciting. I am happy to announce that everyone ate their dinner all gone tonight! My kids haven't been loving dinner time lately. Yesterday night I made them sit at the table for quite a while. Eventually Hyrum got the brilliant idea to dump his soup all over the table, after which Camilla used a paper towel to "clean it up", resulting in my whole table top being smeared with orange colored soup. I forced a smile as I wiped it up, and bed time soon followed. Tonight we had cranberry chicken and rice which is always a huge hit. I walked back into the kitchen after checking on baby Joe to find Camilla sitting on top of the table spoon feeding her brother the rest of his plate. He ate every last morsel of rice thanks to his sister.

After dinner usually comes baths. Hyrum whines the whole time I wash his hair and then plays with the bath toys. Camilla then tortures her brother with the squirt toys and then we pull the plug when the water is too freezing to stay in any longer. After everyone is cozy warm in their PJ's we do scriptures and prayers. Sometimes this is completed with a screaming baby, Hyrum making car noises and Camilla peeking and giggling, but at least it gets done. Then we all climb the stairs, turn on the space heater and read stories. After we finish each of the children make their way to their beds and say their prayers. Hyrum is at the "repeat after me" stage and is adorable. "Kee-koo day, Kee-koo family, pees bwess Joo-peh..." I love that boy. After a tickle session for each and big kisses and hugs it's lights out. Soon enough drinks of water are requested, Hyrum is running out of bed to chat with his sister and the giggling commences. FINALLY they all fall asleep, and it's onto phase two of my evening.

Joseph and I make our way back downstairs where he plays on his play mat. He's getting a lot better at entertaining himself and enjoying floor time.

While he coos and hits his toys around, I start the nightly tidy. As I go into the kitchen I discover the drum set and building blocks stacked up beside the counter. Camilla used them while I was busy to sneak the left over chocolates beside the cookie jar. It makes me grin and I have to secretly give the girl props for her ingenuity. I then go around the livingroom with the laundry basket and grab all the toys, crumbs and left over cookies. Once that's done I take it to the office and sort it all back into the toy bins. I like the kiddos to have a clean start to their day each morning.

 

 Soon Joseph has had enough of his play mat and needs a change of scenery. Since it's close to 9PM and Daddy still isn't home from Young Men's I decide to bath him. I run the water in the bathroom sink nice and warm and add a squirt of baby soap to it. Joseph splashes his arms and legs around while I wash his sweet face, the crusty puke under his chin rolls and the rest of his rolls. I talk to him and make eye contact as I wash and he smiles back nice and big. Bathing him is my favorite, it always makes him happy.