Bedtime at Our House

When Paul is out of town, like he was all of last week, the kids don't like going to bed. This is a typical bedtime when Paul is not home. I tell the kids after dinner to get ready for bed. They all disappear for a little while and eventually come back with their pajamas on. When I tell them it is time to get in bed, they all need to brush their teeth, potty, can't find..., or something of the sort. While I am running around the house finding teddy bears and blankets, etc, and I take them to the child they belong too, the kids are all hiding throughout the house. Usually finding them is not too hard because they all giggle when we play hide and seek, which is kind of a give-a-way.

When I get them in their beds, Caleb starts singing, Bryce starts playing, and Isaac gets into bed crying "I can't sleep". This used to be something that Isaac would pull after he had been in bed for awhile, now it is before he actually makes it in bed. I spend the next hour playing power of the wills with Isaac, who is continuously getting up and turning on his bedroom light. I open the door and slip my hand in and turn off the light without even looking at him. Eventually he gives up and falls asleep.

I go in to check on Caleb and Bryce and find Bryce's bed with a lot of toys in it. The first time I go in he has some Hot Wheels and a big tractor in his bed. I clean it off and cover him back up. A while later I go check on them again, and there is more Hot Wheels, a big tractor, and a bucket of K'Nex emptied on the bed. I dump it all on the floor and cover Bryce up again. The whole time, Bryce does not cry, smile, or even sit up. He just calmly lays there. By the next time I go check on them this is what I find:

somewhere in this mess of toys, there is a little boy that I must find! Caleb is up in his bed giggling and telling me that Bryce did it by himself - which is a dead give-a-way that Caleb had a lot to do with it! I clean off the bed, cover up Bryce and tell them to go to sleep or blah blah blah (that is what I might as well be saying). Finally they fall asleep with just a few Hot Wheels, lots of stuffed animals, and the big tractor in Bryce's bed. I clean it all off, and then I pass out.

Now when Paul is home, this is the bed time routine. It is the same up until the actual being in bed part. We get them in bed and I still have to go into Isaac's room for about 15 minutes after we turn off the light to continue turning the lights off, then he is out. I go check on Caleb and Bryce, they are both sleeping. I go into wherever Paul is and tell him that from now on when he goes out of town - THE KIDS GO WITH HIM!!!