One foot

Every house has bedtime rituals. This is ours. Generally I tell Ellie when it is time for bed. Like most kids she tries to negotiate an extension on bedtime. She is generally allowed to do this, but after the bedtime call I won't talk to her (because it's time for bed).

When she gets tired of that (usually about 5 minutes), she'll tell me she wants to go to bed. She'll lay on the floor on her back and stick up one foot, calling out One foot!

Somehow it has become our tradition that I carry Ellie to bed upside down by one foot at bedtime. She's very particular about it. On some nights when I'm tired I try to cheat and hold her by both ankles. But she won't have it. One foot. That's it.