Nap hour
It is the nap hour.
I made the bed in a hurry.
I got out the sewing machine and the dress I’m working on; I figure I’ll set it up in the kitchen, and see if I can also work on it with Amy around, since hour-long naps don’t allow for much sewing progress. I also don’t believe in excluding her from the other things I do in life.
A quick stop online to see if I had email or new blog posts to read.
And I think what I’ll do next is just lie down with the kitty.
If the pattern that has held since Tuesday keeps holding, there might be twenty minutes of nap left.
Oops, I hear coughing.
I must confess I am having a hard time adjusting to one-nap-ness.
Even though I feel defensive knowing there are folks out there who mistakenly think good moms are always thrilled to be with their kids 24/7 no matter what, I will proclaim, along with the other enlightened-by-experience folks, that everyone, even moms and babies, needs a little space to themselves and a little outside interest to keep their relationships healthy.
And that one hour a day is insufficient.
And that it is in fact good for Amy, too, to spend some of her time occupying herself and not being externally entertained 24/7.
And so I will continue figuring out how to create enough space for both of us, carving it out of awake time since nap time is dwindling.
The coughing has stopped, and my kitty awaits. Ta.
Oh the 2 to 1 problem. It sucks. We’re in the “no naps if we won’t them to sleep before 11pm” zone.
Losing that time is hard when they’re still too young to occupy themselves.
Comment by thordora — February 8, 2008 @ 6:18 pm
Today’s nap actually went better — it was a little longer (maybe as long as two hours, depending on which cough coughs were asleep and which awake) and when she did wake she wasn’t crying miserably. And Mark got home in time to get her up, too, which is always nice.
So is the transition to no naps better? Since at that age you can theoretically say go play quietly by yourself for an hour?
Comment by Marcy — February 8, 2008 @ 10:18 pm
I think the 24/7 moms just MAY be teeny bit delusional. Or maybe just not honest. I’m just a better mom when I can devote some time for myself.
Comment by Shelley — February 9, 2008 @ 1:11 pm
Hang in there, Marcy. You’ll make it.My youngest is almost 31 and she was the last of six. I used to nap in the afternoon while they played on top of me! But they baby time comes and goes so fast. And now I have all the time in the world.
Comment by jan — February 9, 2008 @ 5:26 pm
No naps here (she’s 4). She’ll nap at daycare - that forced nap, everyone else is doing it thing. On weekends though - no naps. We have Quiet time though. If she’s really grumpy, it means on her bed - reading if she wants. If she’s being fairly good, then it’s in her room with quiet play. She can entertain herself for about an hour. Sometimes two. Not as good as a nap, but I do get “me” time.
And people that say parents should want to be with their kids 24/7 either don’t have kids or are delusional.
Comment by Enola — February 9, 2008 @ 9:57 pm