Bedtime Rituals and Victuals

Govan is getting into habits and recognizing patterns quite a bit now. The Bedtime pattern is like this:

1. Tell/Sign Govan that it's time to change his diaper
2. He whines a bit, and possibly throws a "fit" (consisting of running into things or throwing a toy)
• If he throws a toy, it's taken from him and put away for another day
  
3. Dad or Mom just walk to his room and tell/sign diaper change again
4. He either whines a bit more as he makes his way to his room, or he get's picked up as he is running away laughing
5. Recently he squirms ALOT during the diaper change
6. Now it's time for a book or six
7. At some point, Mom or Dad ask/signs to him if he wants to nurse
8. He usually says No, and then realizes what a huge mistake he just made and so he gets up, walks over to the nursing chair, and starts patting it saying "Mama" to show he wants Mom to sit there...
9. Before the nursing starts, there's kisses and hugs from Dada. And then as Dad walks away, Govan waves and says 'Bye'
10. Nursing to Bed can be any number of ways either because he fell asleep, or he's done gets down, plays a bit and Kelly convinces him that yes he really does want into the crib

Bedtime reading can be only with Dad, only with Mom or sometimes with both... depends on the chores that need doing and who wants to avoid them the most :)

At any rate, the other night, it was Dad and Govan reading.
He picks up a book about Bobo the Gorilla and Bobo's mom. As soon as he get's to the page with Bobo's mom, and we say "Bobo's Mama!!!", he repeats "Mama Mama" and starts walking out of the room to go get Mom.

I guess it's time to nurse.

Govan takes Mom's hand and walks her back to his room.

As soon as he gets in, he waves and says "Bye".

Mom and Dad bust a gut laughing at that one.

What he couldn't say was "Your stories grow tiresome. You are no longer needed here. Are you still here? I thought I said 'bye' already?" but one day his vocal stylings will reach such lofty heights I'm sure.

Thanks buddy. You're a champ.

* "fit" in the context of Govan is totally not a tantrum . He just whines, and since he doesn't know what he can do or where he can go, he charges off in random directions. This could include into walls which is quite hilarious. He has been known to throw himself on the floor... also hiliarious, except when he does it near a sharp edge of the wall or a hard wooden table. "Fits" last about 20 seconds... tops.

** For the linguistically challenged - victuals