Bedtime Stories and Sweet Dreams

Gracie - 8 months old

"Goodnight moon
Goodnight cow jumping over the moon
Goodnight light
and the red balloon..."

My favorite part about bedtime is the stories. I love bedtime stories. Gracie and Annelie do too. Is there a single kid out there in the world who doesn't like a bedtime story? Doubtful.

Annelie's favorite book is Goodnight Moon, written by Margaret Wise Brown, which is one of the most beloved bedtime stories of all times. Every night, I read Goodnight Moon no less than two times, then proceed to say goodnight to everything in Annelie's room, while she echoes me.

"Goodnight books."
"A niiii booo."

Goodnight window."
"A niiii win-no."

"Goodnight pictures."
"A niiii chich-chers."

"Goodnight door, books, babies, and music (currently an Ella Fitzgerald CD, that lulls her to sleep)."

"A niiiiiii."

My mom read to me and my big brother Dan, until we were in high school. Even though both my brother and I loved reading on our own, we still piled onto the couch while my mom read us a chapter or two from an adventure story. We especially loved when she read us the Prydain Chronicles, which is the 5 book adventure series by Lloyd Alexander, based on Welsh mythology. You better believe I'll be reading these books to my half-Welsh daughters when they are older.

Bedtime stories just make bedtime better, don't you think? Even now, at the age of 27, I can't go to bed without reading myself a bedtime story - or a chapter or two from a book, at least.

I hope that the memories my girls will have of us cuddling up together in bed, reading a book before they drift off to dreamland, will be wonderful memories, just like the ones I have of my own bedtime story-time.

Here are a few nighttime-loving items from some favorite Etsy artists of mine:

This Babymoon Love print by Flutter Brush, the art of Kris Aro McLeod (you can find her published book HUSH-A-BYE COUNTING on Amazon.com), is simply adorable! You can find her shop at www.FlutterBrush.etsy.com

KJ, the artist behind the awesome shop, The Dreamy Giraffe, invites all little girls to Dream Big, with this adorable print - also sold as a little redhead and a little blonde. You can find this print at www.thedreamygiraffe.etsy.com

I just love this Good Night print from Manuela DeSimone Illustration. That little clown, basking in the moonlight, on the window sill is soooo stinking cute! You can find this print at www.desicloe.etsy.com

And for the nighttime loving big girls... this adorable pair of Sweet Night Earrings, by Oh Mandie at www.ohmandie.etsy.com.

(and psssssst... if you stop by Amanda's blog {Click here}, you can enter yourself to win a pair in her New Year giveaway!)

Sweet dreams and enjoy!

xoxo,