Bed Time Procedures, Stall Tactics, and Lovey's

I think it is fair to say that I have a pretty strong love/hate relationship with bedtime procedures at our house these days.  There are moments of pure uninterrupted sweetness that are unmatched and irreplaceable, but ugh the process of getting to those fleeting moments can really be a drain.  Harper is the toddler master of stall tactics, and she has absolutely figured out the best way to delay bedtime is to be cute and distract away from the subject all together.  It doesn't help matters that she is just like Hunt and a night owl, and seems to get her second (third.. fourth..) wind around 8pm.. just as I am soo ready to be in my own bed and watching some mindless TV.  So mommy does get a little cranky by the end of the hour long production of negotiating through whether or not there will be a bath, the constant reoccurring fight over legitimate teeth brushing, whether or not there will be time for a show (currently Barney on Demand... uuugghhh), reading two books, retrieving some ice water from downstairs.. We still aren't even in bed yet at this point and the yet to be snuggles and songs, spreading out blankies and rearranging lovey's (pronounced luu-bees).  And just as I am literally losing any shred of patience, she usually does or says something really cute that brings me back to how lucky I am to have her.  My favorites are the spontaneous "I love you" and "I love your hairs", often little regurgitation of things that I say to her.  Last night she was laying on her side, Pink and White (aka luu-bees) tucked into their position under her arm, and looking particularly sweet and peaceful, and it can be hard to always remembers some of these sweetest moments, so I just had to get some pics.