At the bedtime bottle feeding, she will now only drink in her crib in the dark.

It used to be that I would lay her on the changing table, perpendicular to her brother in his crib, and hold the bottle while she drank. My right hand sustained her while my left, him. He would finish first, being the more aggressive eater of the two, and then would proceed to roll around in his crib, making contented baby noises. Slower at the bottle, she brought up the rear, consistently finishing a few minutes after her twin.

We had it perfectly choreographed, but like all things in the early months of life, perfect is quick to change. Routine is fleeting.

Compromises were made. Toys were placed in tiny hands to keep distracted minds on task. Then, when those hands started to reach out to hold the bottles themselves, books were held up for curious eyes to look at.

About a month ago, I had to start them with their bottles before bedtime diapers and PJs, and when I could no longer hold her still, her bottle was set aside (while he drained his on his own in his crib right next to us) to take a drinking break while diapers and PJs were attended to. Usually she would take the rest of the bottle right there, but often we would have to finish up in her crib.

And what it has come to lately is that she desperately wants her bottle right away… claws for it on the way up the stairs, but will only take two or three gulps, if that. Then it is squirm city.

Diapering these two, at eleven months, is an Olympic event. Every diapering challenge up until now has merely been training for the big event, which is, I suspect, the next 4-6 months of writhing, arching, twisting, grabbing, crying… times two. Getting them both diapered and dressed is exhausting, and often will result in diaper cream being smeared where it shouldn’t be. Then it is hold me hold me why are you holding her him why not me hold me hold me. If they would both just be still I would hold them together in my lap in the chair. But they are not, so they get their bedtime stories separately… individual Mommy-time.

Then the lights go down and the white noise goes on. And she gladly, and calmly, takes her bottle… in her crib, and in the dark.