You remember: that time of the day you refused to take advantage of in your youth ("I can't sleep when it's LIGHT OUTSIDE!"), which you now look back on wistfully as there just aren't enough hours in the day.
Naptime for babies should not be as difficult as it can be for, say, toddlers or school aged kiddos. Set a schedule, start a "wind-down" routine, and plop 'em in the crib so you can clean the house/do laundry/wash bottles/finally get that blasted hangnail/or in my case, all of the above after surfing facebook for too long by any standard.
In almost every area of baby life, Max is doing beautifully. He sleeps 10-12 hours a night and is hardly ever cranky during the day. He eats what you offer him and he "teeths" for about 10 minutes per tooth. They're a tricky business, though, those nap times. When it comes to taking his daily snoozes, he refuses to be anywhere near his crib. Ah, no. Why settle for a Serta when you can REM on a warm body like Mommy's?
Yes, Max has decided that he will only nap on me. Which means that twice a day, I sit in the glider, bounce/rocking him until he falls asleep and holding him in that position for the better part of an hour. Depending upon how he falls asleep, at times my body is severely contorted, biceps shaking. I look like a marquee for kabuki theatre. I know what you're thinking, and yes - I HAVE tried to tip toe him into his crib after he's fallen asleep in my arms.
Guess what happens.
So I flip a U-ie and take my place back in the glider. Any leading figure in child-rearing would shake his head at me, then snap a photo to put in his next best-seller under "See What Can Happen If You Don't Listen To Me?"
Truth be told.... I kinda love it. As I rock - no, glide- with him across my chest and on my shoulder, all I need is to glance down at that chubby little face, eyes closed and mouth hanging open as only a sleepy trip to Never Never Land can produce. And I'm inches away from his own personal little dreamscape. And it hits me: he doesn't want his crib to nap. He wants ME. There is something that only I can provide him so that he will relax enough to drift off during the day for his naps. I help him to dream. When he dreams, he learns; he grows. These days will be gone all too soon.
Yes, I hold my son during his naps. Write an entire chapter on me.
I'd have it no other way.
Amen Sista! And guess what...they still lived happily ever after... :)
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