Every night at bedtime we go through a struggle. It’s pretty normal for a two and a half year old to not want to go to bed. There’s so much to do and explore. The struggle isn’t with Layton though. Don’t get me wrong, that’s a real struggle every night.

The struggle I have to deal with is internal. I realize that one day I’m not going to get to read him books at bedtime, rock him to sleep, “fly” him around the yard, or do any of the other incredibly fun stuff I get to do with him each evening. I want to keep doing all that stuff as much as he does, probably more, because I know there will come a time when he won’t want to. But, bedtime needs to happen, for both of us. So I do the routine and put him to bed and think while reading to him “I hope this isn’t the last time”. Fortunately I think we have a ways to go yet, but I truly do my best to cherish that time. As Brad Paisley sang, “there’s a last time for everything”.