As I sit here writing, Rohan is napping. A novelty to say the least. For the last week he has been avoiding naps like the plague (I don't know how I feel about this expression actually). For 1 to two hours a day for a week I have layed with my beautiful little man attempting to coax him into dream land. It gets very very frustrating after a while...........trust me.
So when the droopy eyes finally close and I manage to very quietly tip toe out of his room ( a learned art) I give myself a little pat on the back and prepare to do all the things I had been saving for this very special alone mama time. This time is not very exciting, nor is it really considered productive in any sense of the word. I play on the computer for a while, than head upstairs to the big fat mattress on the floor that we recognize as our bed and read. Than, if the fancy takes me (why wouldn't it really) I may have a nice little cat nap. Yup, filled with motivation this one!
This has, however, not been the case the last week. After up to 2 hours of coaxing and convincing I have only received an astonishing 45 minutes of nap. I am barely finished with my computer time by then. The disappointment is heartbreaking. I need this time to gather my thoughts, calm down for a bit and just be by myself. 45 mintues does not give me enough time to give myself mama regeneration, the gatorade of refueling happy mama.
Anywho, I told my sister in law of this dilema that I have been having and she offered some very sound and logical advice. 'Well if it is taking that long for such a minor nap, why not cut the nap?". I felt myself gasp as the air was sucked from my lungs................no nap. Oh my god, ow can I make it through a whole day without any nap? This is what breaks up the day. We do stuff in the morning, than lunch than nap. We then do a bit of stuff in the afternoon than I start the rididulously time consuming process of making dinner.
On a side note, why does this meal take so unbelievably long to prepare and than dismantle? Like a good 3 hours a day are spent on dinner alone. The preprep, the cooking, the setting of table, the eating (convincing Rohan to eat, and the battle that ensues there.........oh but for another time) and than the clean up. Man I need to hire a professional chef!!
So I tried it yesterday. I put a little bit of effort into nap time as Rohan was showing very real signs of being tired enough to nap, but to no avail. So we had a no nap day. Not a angry, bitter, resentful, me close to tears from effort unfounded, no nap day, just an experiment. It went okay, I had a little less patience, although that is coming also with beginning to be very uncomfortably pregnant and tired, but it went pretty well overall. He was exhausted come night time and was asleep by 7pm which is incredible.
But I missed my time to unwind.
Today, however, he surprised me by falling asleep in the car on the way home from our day's events. And now it has been over an hour. I am so confused. But at whatever cost............welcome back nap time, I have missed you so this week!
LIz poor Liz, battling all the times you are so strong! I would suggefst like your sister in law did that you stop battling you give it a try it doesn't work, you can always have him stay in his room for quiet time, you just give him books and quiet toys and you impose on "you stay in your bed but you don't have to sleep" let's say 2hrs or an hour and half? half the time he will fall asleep if he is tried and if not then he will go to bed early that night. Often just quiet time is enough to wind them down. Kalel hasn't had a nap since August! good luck hun :)
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