My favourite time of the day is after the girls have gone to bed. Not because the house is finally quiet but because I can be a hero and make everything in the world alright for Annalie and Story. You see, typically after going to sleep for the evening or night, one or the other will awake with a cry. I leap to my feet and bound up the stairs to “fix things.” With Annalie or Story all I have to do is gently put my hand over her head and with my my other hand on her upper thigh I very gently rock her in the cage bed. As I am rocking her I make gentle and quiet shushing noises. As she settles I usually lean in, kiss her on the forehead and tell her she is beautiful and that I love her. Her breathing becomes regular and she settles. I am the hero.
I don’t know if this technique will still work when they are 15 or 16 years old and lying in bed crying, but tonight, I have made their world feel a little bit better. What a beautiful feeling.