Eric's Superiority

I just don't understand it. Eric is much better at making Thai butternut squash soup than I am. OK. I can deal with that. He also makes better grilled cheese, and he's much better at fixing just about anything than I. But why, oh why is it that he's so much better at putting our sons to sleep?!? Before Auden came along, I used to have an hour-long bedtime ritual with Logan. We'd brush his teeth, read some books, sing some songs. I loved it: the cuddles, the quiet chats and sing alongs, the "I wuv yous" and "happy dreams." Now, with Auden around, that ritual has been pared down to a half hour or so, but when Eric puts Logan to bed, he's out in 5 minutes flat! I just can't believe it, so I pester him with questions: "Did you brush his teeth? Did you put him in his jammies?" I just can't see how he's done it. Now on some mornings, Logan will wake up in the clothes he had worn the day before, so then I know how Eric cut his time. Still, it's pretty impressive to me that he can get Logan from awake to sleepy in 5 minutes.

It's become the same with Auden. Don't get me wrong, I love holding the baby. I know this snuggly period doesn't last long, and I am cherishing it, believe me. But when he's sound asleep, lying in my arms, I'd like to put him down in his crib for a while so I can get some laundry done, read a book comfortably, write a blog post with both hands. Nope--tonight, I try putting him down in his bed--he stirs and his eyes pop open, as if to say, "Hey, mom. Where are you going? I wasn't sleeping; I was just resting my eyes!" I put the pacifier in his mouth and his eyes slowly close. I inch away from his bed toward the door. He grunts, and if I wait longer, he snorts. Sure signs he's about to let loose with a good cry. Eric, on the other hand, is usually able to put him in bed without so much as a whimper. It's maddening, really. Why does he have all the luck?