Goodnights Seem To Last All Night

      What do you like to do at bedtime?  Watch the news?  Brush your teeth?  Drink some tea?  Chances is are it's not as elaborate a ritual at our bedtime (unless you have kids or pets of your own).  We've got the tooth brushing and getting on pajamas but that's not all.  There needs to be stories- not just one but two.  There needs to be rocking and hugging and goodnights.  And mind you, this is multiplied by two because they each have their unique bedtime needs. Liam has graduated to chapter books, like James and the Giant Peach and Runaway Ralph whereas Josh likes his favorite board books (Goodnight Baby) and picture books (In the Night Kitchen) read over and over again.  Then with Liam there needs to be stargazing- at his glow in the dark stars.  Upstairs in Joshua's room you need to play his Sleepy Time CD and stick around for a song or two, hugging him from the floor because there's not room to cuddle on his tiny toddler bed.
     All of this used to be sufficient for a good night ritual but it seems like the kids are tricking us into more elaborate schemes.  It's summer time so Joshua has been having a mommy-crush.  I've put him to bed most nights this summer and bedtime just isn't getting any easier.  First of all, he insists on more than two books.  Somehow he started sweet talking his way into getting two books on the rocking chair... and then one more book in his bed.  And if I wasn't tricked enough by this two year old, he's also managed to work in a nightly rendition of "On Top of Spaghetti" and a retelling of "The 3 Little Pigs" into his bedtime routine.  Meanwhile downstairs Liam and his Daddy have found themselves in a never-ending battle to be the last to say goodnight. The few times I have put Liam to bed this summer, he's managed to stalk me around the house badgering me with "I said goodnight!"
    Bedtime is supposed to be calming, quieting, soothing but thanks to the demands it's become a bit more dreaded in my house.  I could really do without the nightly discussion of why Joshua can't bring a cup of milk to his bed (day old milk in a sippy cup in the summer time... the only thing worse is a sippy cup that's rolled under the bed and not found for more than a week) and why juice isn't a good choice either.  Liam likes to have three glasses of water so he can do some sort of a pouring ritual.  I'm not sure I understand it, but he gets upset when I wash even one of the cups.
     Here's the thing, despite our grandest efforts to soothe and comfort at bedtime, despite the increasingly longer schedule of events, Joshua just seems to be having more and more trouble falling asleep at bedtime.  Unfortunately the little guy who used to fall asleep when his head hit the pillow can usually be heard at naptime giggling and jumping on his bed or crying at bedtime for another hug. 
     All of these rituals have me staying up with the kids instead of participating in my own bedtime rituals.  There's less and less time for me to eat my bowl of popcorn, grade math worksheets, watch my reality shows or check my facebook most recent news.  I may have to take a stand to take bedtimes back.  I think it'll start with the books- a strict two, I think, is sufficient. And possibly "On Top of Spaghetti" would be better for a waking up song than at bedtime.  That 30-60 sliver of time is too important for me to give up.  Afterall, I don't want to have to share my bowl of popcorn.