One of my most treasured times of the day is sunset.  The sun setting is my cue to gather my tired baby for her bedtime routine — a massage and bath.  My bedtime routine for her goes as such,

• feed her so she has a full and happy belly,
• lay out a blanket on the ground,
• choose a natural oil [I use apricot oil, jojoba oil, or olive oil],
• put on a little soft folk music like Allison Krauss, Brandi Carlile or Sara Groves,
• dim the lights, or use candle light — which is my preference,
• choose a lovely cotton nightgown for afterwards to have good dreams in,
• and lastly, massage and bathe away…

This really sets the atmosphere and gives baby a time to relax from her hard taxing day of being out and about and learning a ton of new and exciting things.  I love massage and bathtime because I know that she loves it.  It’s comforting and relaxing for her.  It makes her feel loved and cherished.  Sometimes life does get in the way of this special time, and we have to give her a quickie massage and bath without the elaborate massage, but I do hope to make this a loving routine for however many children God gives us.

A dear friend, Lakshmi, came over a week ago to give Dhara an Indian massage and bath.  Dhara absolutely loved the massage.  The Indian styled bath, much different than her tub bath, we have to work on. : )  In India, people use warm sesame oil to massage babies.  Sesame oil has therapeutic and ayurvedic properties that really relax babies and promote well being.  It easily penetrates the skin, has a cooling effect on the body, and is rich in vitamin E.

I kid you not, the photo above shows how she slept after Lakshmi’s massage and bath!  Sweet dreams little one.