Routines.

We've got some good ones. 

School drop off:  Every morning I stop in the middle of the street, in front of the annex, and drop Jace off.  We try to hurry, but we both get out because sometimes it's hard for him to get out of the truck with his bag, heavy coat, etc.  Give him a hug and a kiss (this won't last forever!), and tell him to have a good day.  But wait, that's not all...After I get in my truck I have to look back at him because he will turn around and blow me a kiss before I drive off.  What a sweetie.  :)

Bedtime: Bed times are a process at our house.  I have a love/hate relationship with it.  I love it because we have some good talks and we read books.  I hate it because it takes a long time! We start off with books in Connor's room.  Jace reads to us, sometimes from his chapter book he is working on, and it takes longer for him to read, but it is amazing listening to him.  And amazing how much he seems to always be becoming a better reader.  Then Connor has her book, which sometimes she has to "read" to us, sometimes it's a short one, or a long one.  But, we cannot skip her book.  OR, instead of a book sometimes she asks to do a puzzle.  It's not the puzzle that takes so long, it her choosing which one to do.  "Eeny meeny miny mo, catch a tiger by a po, every dollar every day my mother told me to choose the one that...." She tries to do the saying, but it definitely is her own version.  And then if she asks me to pick, if I pick "the wrong one" she will say "We already do that one yesterday" and shrug her shoulders. 

After all that, then we lay in Connor's bed (unless Jed takes Jace to his own bed) and we say prayers.  And then becomes the longest part of the process.  I lay with Connor and as soon as I try to get up, whether it's one minute or ten, "Mom, will you lay with me, just one time?"  Yes, of course! Then the next time she lets me get up.  But there is always a question.  Either right when I get out of bed, or sometimes she will wait for me to get to the door.  A very important question, like what time will I wake her up? How many cats do we have? Can she have a snack when she wakes up? Then that's usually (hopefully) it.  She blows me a kiss, I blow her one, and good night Connor!

Then I go check on Jace. His process has gotten much shorter, but still, lay with him, and he has "important" questions and things to talk about. And then, when I get up to leave, "Mom, will you check on me after you do your jobs?" (I tell him I have to clean the kitchen, do laundry, etc.)  But yes...I come back and check on him.  Most nights.  :)