Can I come out now??

This post is dedicated to Goofy Girl - who is not kidding when she says “Don’t fuck with Naptime. Trust me on this, Young Jedi.”

I feel like the one lone soldier left in the trenches, peeking his head out after the battle.........

Um, yesterday’s post was about NIGHTtime sleeping. I still haven’t figured out NAPtime sleeping

The past 4 months, Arun has honed his skill for napping on the fly - in the stroller, in the bouncy seat, in the car, in anyone’s arms who is a sucker enough to hold his little stinky ass. Basically, wherever the little guy can catch some daytime shut-eye worked out well. However, in the past month, the little turd has discovered there is a big ole world out there for his taking and if he sleeps - well, it might just PASS HIM BY. Therefore, it has become increasingly obvious that I need to stay home and provide a consistent sleeping pattern AND place for him. I decided this was the week - I even cleared my schedule so that I could determine what his naptime would be and totally be at his beck and call. Just like a good little NapBitch should. As it turns out, this is also beginning to be the Week From Hell. Coincidence? I think not.

First, I confirmed my looming suspicion that his morning nap laps over into my precious, precious Lunchtime Hour. This is the hour that I use to SEE MY FRIENDS. My busy friends who have husbands, hobbies, children, LIVES. It’s convenient to see them over lunch and for several of my friends, that is virtually the only time I get to see them. Poof! Bye, bye friends.

Second, I decided it’s high time the kid start sleeping in his crib. The very crib that I forked over precious, precious dollars for and spent precious, precious hours obsessing over it on eBay, then precious, precious hours fighting with X as we put the damned thing together. In preparation for the monumental task of him sleeping in his crib, for the past few months, I have been placing his bouncy seat in the room so that he could get used to the environment. Also, since I brought him home from the hospital, I have consistently placed him IN the crib in hopes that he would just fall in the love with the carefully chosen Clover Fields Kidsline crib set and decide that yes, YES he will just greet the Sandman and be done with it.

Third, I am committed to getting Arun to bed at a more consistent time. Until now, we have been going to bed anywhere from 8:30 to 10:00pm. Obviously, I need to reign myself in a bit on that timeframe. As the kid reminds me constantly, my life is now the Arun Show . All channels. All the time.

Fourth, I determined that it’s high time that he cry a bit. I researched infant sleep before I had the baby and even actually READ Dr. Ferber’s book. I highly recommend doing both before having a child. If I hadn’t done the research beforehand, I would be beside myself with grief, anguish and frustration. Oh WAIT. I AM ALREADY BESIDE MYSELF WITH ALL THOSE THINGS. I’m like milk when it comes to Arun crying - I have an expiration date of tolerance equal to about 15-30 minutes depending on the tone and pitch of the cry.

So, Monday’s Naps went swell! He even slept in his crib and all was right with the world. It paid off, too - we had a GREAT day. When he was awake, he was very giggly, wanting to sit up all the time, rolling all over the place. The problem started when I had a friend come over in the evening with her 2 children. Arun is at that stage where he LOVES other children. So, while it was fun for him, it was a lot of stimulation. By 8:00pm he was pooped. But my friend wasn’t. In fact, she and her 2 kids were still going full blast as they headed out the door well after 10:30pm. Do you see where this is going? By the time I got Arun to sleep it was well after 11:00pm, then of course, he slept past 10:00 am the next morning and from there, the entire yesterday was a nightmare, except I didn’t get to mack on Johnny Depp. Finally, by 7:00pm, I let him fall asleep in my arms because I just could NOT TAKE IT ANYMORE. Then we went to bed by 9:00pm and the rest of the night was a dream. Yes, I am thankful that we at least have the nighttime sleeping down to a science.

I’ll admit that last night, as he slept in my arms, I started to like him again (only just a little!) as he slept peacefully and smiled those creepy little baby smiles they do in their sleep. I think I even started to LOVE him again when we went to bed and he snuggled right up against my back and snoozed away. Then this morning, he woke up smiling and well, what can I say? I am such an easy mark and the kid surely knows it by now. So, of course, I let the little shit back into my good graces.

And that, my friends, is the ultimate beauty of motherhood.......... Just when I thought that I was out they pull me back in.