she's back

Eden's addiction to being rocked seems to now be just a very particular relationship -- she still knows what she wants, but she's mellowed out quite a bit. Here was the scene tonight as I just finished putting her to bed ...

We're sitting in the corner of Eden's room looking toward the door in the rocking chair my Momma used to rock me in {Momma says she saw it at the top of the escalator in Penney's at the original Jackson Mall and the minute she saw it said "oh, that's what I want" even though it was the only thing she'd ever bought at Penney's}.
The light from the hallway and the nightlight was reflected on the wood floor.
Graham is in the kitchen finishing up dinner having just read Eden her third Curious George story for the night
The sound machine is on and everything else seems really quiet.
Eden is cuddled up on me with her face on Georgia, my cheek on her forehead, and her arm securely holding Lucy the Lamb next to her ... and I'm quietly singing "You are My Sunshine" ...

Eden's my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray, you'll never know dear how much I love you, please don't take my Eden away

She did ask for more singing each time the song ended. So, I sang it at least ten times. And, when I started to just hum she shook her head no while leaning against me. See, she knows what she likes.

But after a few minutes of rocking, she just pointed to the bed. I carried her over as I finished singing, kissed her and told her night-night, placed her in the bed and she just looked up at me as I left. No screaming. No grabbing onto me with all her might. Just her normal good-night.

I'm so glad the little bit of rocking has made it into the nighttime routine, and I'm especially glad that she's back.

- Eden's Momma, a.k.a. Her night-time singer