how to put robin to bed

Robin's bedtime routine has become quite set. Some nights are easier than others, but in general this is how it goes.

Robin starts showing signs of impending sleepiness around 8 or 8.30 -- she yawns, rubs her eyes, gets a bit fussier and generally looks tired. That is our cue to rush upstairs with her before she gets really cranky. If it's a bath night (Mondays and Thursdays, mostly) we fill up the baby tub with warm water (inside the big tub to contain the splashing, which is getting more vigorous these days) and undress her. In the bath, we wash her with soap from head to toe, dump the soapy water out and refill the tub with fresh water -- she likes it very warm -- and let her play with her bowl, rubber pigs and duckies. Mostly she stuffs them in her mouth. After a while, we get her out, dry her off (she hates that) and put a new diaper on.

If it's not bath night, we give her a quick sponge bath with water -- washing off all the baby food we missed earlier -- and dry her off before putting on a clean diaper.

Then we take her into our bedroom, put on a clean sleeper and swaddle her up. These days we are leaving her arms out, but she still seems to like having the rest of her bundled up. By this time she is usually good and tired and fusses a little more seriously.

Then it's time for book(s). Usually we read two or three; I like to finish with either Goodnight Moon or The Going to Bed Book. Then I nurse her until she's REALLY sleepy but not quite asleep, pop in her soother and put her in the crib, where she sleeps in the bunting bag that Grandma made. If she's still awake, I recite the "Goodnight Mr. Beetle" poem. If she's not asleep yet, I either leave the room, stand at the side of the crib or rest my hand on her face, depending on how not-asleep she is. This is also a good time to turn on either the mobile or the music box doodad on the crib, which tends to get her attention and ideally kind of mesmerizes her. Sooner or later her eyes get heavy and she gets to sleep, though sometimes it takes a little bit of crying.