And sometimes it's just perfect

Tonight, after dinner (quesadillas with dipping sauce - mild salsa), Chris left for choir practice. Cora was still eating her little piece of mint chocolate she got at dance class, and with each bite she said, "mmmmmmmm" and put her hand on her heart and wiggled in her chair. In fact, before he left, Chris asked if he could have a bite, and she said yes, but then looked at her chocolate so sadly, that he decided not to take a bite.

The problem is always, at this point, how do you get the baby into her jammies without a big showdown?

Lotion!

First we put lotion on our hands and arms at the table. We agreed it would be hard to do legs at the table. So, we sat on the rug and put lotion on her feet and legs, and then a new diaper, and jammies. We read a new book from the library - Binky - then we found Cora's binky and baby Tidoo. We went upstairs and read What's Wrong, Little Pookie? and then Yummy, YUCKY, and then The Mitten. We sang "The Riddle Song" ("I gave my love a cherry that had no stone..." aka the cherry-chicken-story-baby song).

I asked her if she was ready to lie down with Tidoo and Buddy Dog and her pillow, and she said yes. I laid her down in the crib and covered her up and said goodnight and stepped towards the door...and she popped up, saying, "Mama!" My heart sank. This is usually how those 45 minute singing marathons start.

But she just stood at her crib and lifted her face up. I said, "Do you need a kiss?" She nodded, we kissed, and she lay back down!! I covered her up again and said good night and that was it! She's asleep! No crying!

So, what was the secret? The lotion? The chocolate? The stories? The order of the stories? Oh, if only I knew!