“There was never a child so lovely but his mother was glad to get him asleep.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson.
For a few days, Z and I stayed at my mum’s when my husband went out of town. It’s wonderful to have family close by, especially when my husband is out of town, as Z gets to see other people apart from me!
The only drawback is that Z naps poorly. This time, she simply refused to nap at my mum’s. If a grown person doesn’t get a nap in, we’re usually ok. If a toddler doesn’t get a nap in, they look as if they’ve gone through some wear and tear, especially as each hour passes by post nap! Z’s eyes get heavier, her cries get whinier, her responses get crankier.
I take advantage of Z’s naps too and aim to get a nap in as well when she naps. So when she doesn’t nap, I don’t nap, which means my eyes get heavier, and I get crankier too!
I never used to love naps like I do now. When teaching full-time, if I attempted an afternoon nap, I would wake up really groggy and would be knocked out for at least an hour! This time, with Z as an alarm clock, I may be groggy when I do wake up, but she’s a pretty persistent alarm clock, “Mummmmmmmmmmmmy!” so I end up having to get started with the 2nd half of the day, and this time post-nap, I’m able to keep up with her energy (running around, toy scattering!)
I’m back home so I noticed yesterday and day before Z had some beautiful long naps, and I managed to nap as well which is always a beautiful thing.
I couldn’t help appreciating her nap more and enjoying watching her be at peace. I love the way when Z sleeps, her features melt into the bed, her little limbs curl up, fingers curled, a thick shock of hair finally hairbow/rubber band free and tumbling carelessly over. I love how she isn’t moving a mile a minute, and is simply as my father puts it ‘clean bowled!’ If you play cricket, you will understand this term.
Here’s to more peaceful naps in the future!
“And [God] made your sleep [a means for] rest” (Quran 78:09).
Doodling Through Life 