Bedtime Routine

Since Ella was about 3 or 4 months old .. wow that wasn't that long ago yet it seems like forever .. we started a bedtime routine that we have stuck to pretty well... since several people I know have recently had a baby .. recent as in like past 3months.. they've been asking me how I get Ella to sleep every night.  You see.. I have an AMAZING baby!  She generally goes to sleep around 8pm and sleeps until 630-7am!  And she has for a few months.  Meaning.. I get sleep :) 
Anyway.. I decided I'd share how we do this bedtime thing at our house.

Most nights at around 730pm I give baby girl a bath.  Note: Daddy has never given her a bath.. I think hes scared haha!  She loves bath time and loves being in the big tub!  I don't know how she moves around so much in the tub since she doesn't crawl yet...

Next we dry off while in the bathroom looking in the mirror..

Then we lay her on the changing table to put a diaper on her; note: she is screaming usually..

Next daddy comes in and gets her in some pjs and rocks with her and plays with her while I'm 'closing the house'.. I shut the blinds, curtains, turn lights off, get bottle ready, and get her blankie..

Then I come in and 'close up her room'.. turn on little lamp. shut blinds, turn on ceiling fan, and her other fan..

Next I take baby girl from daddy at about 750pm and we rock and I usually say something like "Dear Lord, thank you for our wonderful day with so and so.  Please have tomorrow be a good day, and make sure I don't get sick, and please have me sleep good tonight in my crib.  Thank you. Love Ella. Amen."

Then we read three book: Goodnight Moon, llama llama nighty-night, and Good Night.

Next I sing her threeish songs.. I have a horrible voice but oh well.. we do 2 versions of "You are my sunshine".. the original way and then I replace sunshine with Ella for the second time... then "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and finally I sing the 4 lines in our favorite book Love You Forever "I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living, my baby you'll be"...

Finally at 8pm I tell her I love her and give her a bottle out on the couch for a little more cuddle time and shes generally asleep within 20minutes and we put her in her crib.

Now I know I know.. I shouldn't do the bottle and I should let her fall asleep on her own.. but darnit.. it is one of my favorite times of the day!  She's fallen asleep on her own in the crib before.  If she's not asleep by the time she eats 4oz or by like 830 845 then I put her in the crib and see if she will.
One day I'll stop.. but how long is she gonna be this little for?

Good luck with bedtime!!