Our bedtime routine is as follows: Bath (every other night), PJs on, drink milk while watching a 10 minute episode of Fireman Sam, brush teeth, read two stories with mom, say prayers, lights out, and then daddy comes in as the cleanup hitter and settles them into nighttime with a home grown story. I will have to say I even enjoy listening to Tony's stories; they are full of depth and details. Sometimes the girls have full conversations about people or animals I have never heard of and come to find out they are characters in the daddy’s bedtime sagas.
One of the most popular topics of these bedtime stories is Sharks, not just nice ones but mean ones too! Meet the shark pictured below, the girls know her as 'Franny'. She is a nice shark that protects "their" yogurt shop. Mind you, you can practically see this shark from our patio (it's technically Joes Crab Shack). Tony has built a whole world around this character Franny. The girls can tell you about Franny's brother and sister, and how Franny’s mom also has twins but they were captured for a short period of time by Tommy and Jaws shark- no less. Franny goes on many adventures and escapes danger multiple ways.
Lola and Ellie really look forward to story time with daddy. They have actually become quite the story tellers themselves because of it. It is interesting because our children are getting to the age where they will start remembering the things they are currently experiencing. I believe the girls will remember daddy story time forever.
Here they are meeting Franny in person.
The are looking at Franny intently as they search for her battle wounds from daddy's stories.
Just look at those impressionale minds!
This stage of true belief in the make-believe is so short lived,
it is such pleasue to take in the magic of it all with your own children.