Nighttime Routine

she loves to be tucked into the blanket

I've been meaning to keep track of Helena's nighttime routine as of late and before it changes because it is such a fun and cherished time.

Helena loves her bath.  She always gets so excited when she hears the water running and isn't the best helper putting all of her toys away as we await her bath.  Once the bath is done I'll tell her to go lay down infront of the bathroom so I can get her changed.  She goes and lays down ready for me to take off all of her clothes.  Once I stand her up to take off her diaper she's full of excitement.  I'll take off her diaper and say: "Naked baby!!!"  She'll take a couple of steps into the bathroom then turn around and come cuddle me!  It's so cute!  We go back and forth like this sometimes 5x's!  She just loves to give me love while being naked I guess.  Her little bum running back and forth, it's not an image I want to ever forget!  Once we finally convince her to run to Dad to get in the bath she enjoys bath time with Dad.
When bathtime is just about over I'll go in and we'll sing our ABC's, this is something we've been doing since she's taken baths in the bathtub, so now we have her repeat us.  Say "A", she says "A" etc...  And she's completed the whole alphabet!  She's a smart one!
Then Chris hands her to me while I hold the towel and we go into her room where she immediately grabs owl and like to run around naked with her towel on her head, she'll eventually run to me and give me a big hug while I dry her off and try to rub her hair.  I always struggle getting her to lay down so I can lotion her up and put on her diaper.  Chris wears a panda blanket we have and dances like the panda from "Jimmy Fallon" to keep her laying down.  Once she is lotioned up, PJ's are on, and hair is brushed, she'll pick out the books for Chris to read.  Lately it always includes the Bible (which she says by name), Pajama Time, and a couple of waiting on baby books we have. She'll sit in the rocking chair and loves to be tucked in by the blanket while holding Mr. Owl.  I love the quiet moments I get to just seat on the floor and observe and watching Helena with her Dad.

reading with Dad: photo taken 12/27/15

Update: so I started writing this post after Christmas when this was her routine, and now it's nothing like this.  Over the past week or so, she wants nothing to do with Dad and will not sit in the chair with him, and she now pulls on me while I'm on the floor saying "up up up" so that I'll get up and go in the chair.  I'm hoping that soon she'll go back to her Dad.