Operation: Naptime.

Raina has never been a great daytime sleeper.  Since she's always been a great nighttime sleeper, though, I've just considered myself lucky enough, and let it go.  Some time last summer, Raina decided to go on nap strike altogether.  The only way to get in some sleep was to wear her out at the playground, and push her around in the stroller afterward until she gave in to sleep.  Then the cold days came, and daily stroller naps were not always an option.  So I got her to nap with me on the couch, and now we've done this nearly every day for at least 2 hours since.  While it didn't leave me much time for my housewife-y duties, I did love the 2 hr rest every day, and the snuggle time with my otherwise "too busy to slow down for a hug" kid.  However... lately I've been thinking how nice it might be to have those 2 hours for myself in the sfternoon... and not just craning my neck to play jewelquest on my phone while hoping not to wake up Sleeping Beauty.  I have bows to make, laundry mountains to put away, and maybe I could even start dinner before 6 some nights!  So today I began... OPERATION NAPTIME!

At 2, regular naptime, I brought her upstairs to her room, saying that today Raina's nap would be in her bed, and Momma's nap would be in her bed.  We read "Goodnight Moon" (our bedtime book), and she went in her crib with no problem.  And then proceeded to sing "mama" to the tunes of every song she knows for an hour and fourty five minutes.  Occasionally she'd yell out a plaintive "mamaaaaaaaaaaa," and then resume her singing.  I was prepared to leave her up there for 2 hours as long as she wasn't too upset, and was starting to think that we were going to end up with a napless afternoon when suddenly, I heard it.  Or rather, didn't hear it.  Silence.  Really?  Really?!  She was napping?!  It lasted for a miraculous 32 minutes.  I went up to get her, excited to praise her and hopeful that this was going to be relatively easy on both of us.  Open the door... NAKED TODDLER.  Me: "Raina, you're naked!"  Raina: "HAHAHA!  YAH!!!"  Fortunately, nothing.... happened.

Today, we had a busy morning of playing with some of Raina's "big kid" friends.  We came home just after lunch, played quietly for a little bit, and then headed up for the same book routine as yesterday.  She even let me tuck her in.  I closed her door, expecting to hear the sound of crib-trampolining behind me, or singing.  Nothing.  She was asleep in minutes, and now, over an hour later, is still quiet.  Hooray!

Could it be this easy?  I expected crying and screaming and fighting.  I guess we'll see how it goes tomorrow, but for now... I'm happy!  Blogging and sipping coffee and planning craft projects... it's nice to have some "me" time!  Though truth be told...  I do miss the snuggles!!

Here's a look back at the days when Raina DID take naps!...

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh!