Toddler v. Sleep

Mini is one of those kids who doesn't want to miss ANYTHING! She tries to keep herself awake to take it all in, but she is also one of those kids who NEEDS sleep, especially that crucial midday nap. She has been trying to phase them out for some time, but the poor thing is zombi-fied if she doesn't nap and bedtime routine has been wrecked on days she does nap. It's almost as though her body so desperately needs the sleep, so if she naps, she goes into some state of uber napping that zonks her out and recharges. 

This has bee our lives that revolve around the naps of a toddler who doesn't want to sleep, but is in dire need of doing so. Since daddy is the one who is in charge of many of her routines, mainly at her request, because she is such a daddy's girl, I encouraged him to get any of the No-Cry books by Elizabeth Pantley, which he found one at a local used bookstore. It is helping him understand sleep a little more and offering some guidance with concrete facts. No matter what I tell him, sometimes he has to read it, or experience it, for humself before it is true. He is a little burned out, but I remind him that this will pass, but I surely don't blame him with the steady innundation of toddlerdom constantly at the ready.

I have been fighting off a cold for days now and yesterday it got worse, when I thought it was getting better (today is the best so far, go figure, strange virus). Regardless of how I felt, I stepped up to help with naptime, because Papa has been so ragged and I can't handle the girl crying. Call me a push over, but I cannot tolerate my kids crying if there is anything I can possibly do to comfort them. Papa is not as sympathic to this plight and I appreciate his resolve, just maybe moreso in the other aspects of parenting. 

I told Mini a couple of times we'd be going in to rest soon, when snack was all done, and read a book. We got all ready and I crawled into the tiny toddler bed with her and a book. Papa put on the nuns she always listens to for nap and I read aloud. When the book was finished, I climbed back out and sat next to her on the bed. Since she is a fidget of a kid, it dawned on me that, if I can keep her busy while she winds down, she may fall asleep without realizing, but also without too much fussing. Jay had been tasked with finding a prayer rope, but to no avail. A lightbulb went off and I remembered where I might have one, which I found promptly and brought it n to her. It is a bracelet-sized one, with red beads and black nylon knots. Anyway, I gave it to her and told her she can hold it, rub it in her hands/fingers, wear it, pull on it, etc. while she says, Lord have mercy. She seemed a bit giddy and had called to me once, so I reminded her of what she should do, then that was it. That was the last I heard out of her, she fell asleep!!! She slept for 2 hours!

Lord have mercy, we were all so grateful, because her lack of sleep and sleep routine has been wearing everyone down so terribly much. The overtired crying, fussing, anger tantrums that would get her into trouble. She went to bed last night with a similar routine, but Papa read to her, and it was not nearly as quick, however, she did sleep. Peaceful, restful, and necessary sleep! Everybody needs it, not everybody gets it.