One of the beautiful things about Madeline, is that she is highly routine driven, yet completely flexible. Quite a paradox. What I mean is that she has certain rites and rituals that she likes to stick to, but for the most part, she'll be O.K. if we miss a step or can't find one of her comfort objects. This picture captures almost every component of her bedtime necessities. We'll start with the Santa hat. It's called her "goodnight cap", which cracks me up because whenever she asks for it, I feel like she's requesting a shot of brandy. She likes it because Mama Berenstain Bear wears one to bed. Next, allow your eyes to drift to her left hand. In it, you will see a tissue. Tissues are one of the non-negotiables for her. She has to have a brand new tissue every night, or there is a problem. She never uses the tissue. Glance over to your left, in the corner of her bed above her head. That is the obligatory "Maddie sized" water, and that is the exact spot she keeps it in every night. Bedding is also a key element of her customary nightly needs. She has one blanket on the bottom and "Rainbow" (or Rainbone, depending on how she wants to say it that day) on TOP. Rainbow, must be rainbow side up and facing the right direction. Rainbow is also a girl and is referred to with the feminine pronoun. Example: "I love her!" NOT "I love it!" She rests her head on the pillow Daddo got her for Christmas last year, and her Princess pillow that she made in Sunday School last year rests next to them. There is also an assortment of music makers and night lights involved, but I'm sure you have had quite enough of this madness already.
Fi is being was being a little spaz at story time the other night. Pat is really good about reading to Madeline every night, and Fi is being totally disrespectful of the whole process. She was playing around and lunging for the music box attached to Maddie's bed every chance she got. You can see that at one point, Maddie forcibly tries to turn Fi around to pay attention by poking her in the cheek. It was not effective.
No comments:
Post a Comment