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It starts with putting his baby to bed.

He will doze off in their bed, snuggled close to his beloved baby girl.

He will wake up in about 20 minutes.

His body is on a timer.

His body knows he must get up because there is still work that needs to be done.

He wipes his eyes, stretches his back, and his night shift begins.

He begins to put the house to bed.

He will wash the baby bottle.

He will take the clothes out of the dryer.

He will fold and put away the laundry.

He will iron the clothes as he watches football.

He will take the trash bins to the curb.

He will quietly vacuum that mess.

He will use bleach to disinfect that “thing” that needs disinfecting because his wife hates the smell of bleach.

He will put that stuff back in the attic.

He will fix whatever toy needs to be fixed.

RELATED: She Puts the House to Bed

He will research tire prices on the internet.

He will change that bulb needs changing.

He will hang those curtains.

He will walk the dog.

He will remember to set the timer for the sprinklers.

He will write down that thing his wife says he cannot under any circumstances forget to do the next day.

He will spend about 30 minutes on the toilet as he prepares himself for bed.

He is now relaxed.

He will shower and get himself into bed.

He will think of everything he has to do tomorrow as he tries to fall asleep.

He will look up what football games are on for tomorrow as he sets his alarm.

Unlike his wife, he will go to bed and stay there.

Also, unlike his wife, he will fall asleep relatively quickly.

His house has been put to bed, and so has he.

He smiles because he is grateful for all that he has.

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So God Made a Mother book by Leslie Means

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Aliette Silva

Aliette Silva is a mom and a writer that lives for a good Cuban sandwich. Her work has been featured in Today Parents, Her View from Home, Filter Free Parents, and Scary Mommy. She writes posts, shares stories, and snaps pictures of the daily mama grind. When she is not writing, you can find her chasing sleep or her two girls all over Disney World.

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