My son has become a very random napper. He naps once a day but rarely twice. Sometimes he naps in the morning for 2-3 hours. Others, he waits and naps late morning into the early afternoon. I am not particularly pleased, of course, with him being down to only napping once a day at fifteen months (this began around 13 months) but I can handle it.
Until Sunday.
He napped early on Sunday, from 8-10AM. I was pretty thrilled with this because a nap that early often means two naps! Score!
Well, that's not what happened.
Of course.
He was very pleasant at church but began to tire after lunch. I did all the normal naptime things to encourage a rest but he resisted. I knew it was bad but I can't make him nap, y'know?
Well, by 5PM, we sunk into frantic, exhausted baby mode. He was whining and unhappy and needy. I was frazzled. I was tired. I NEEDED a break.
I shouted at him and scared him half to death when he took the trash bag out of the can in the bathroom and I knew then that he wasn't the only one who needed that nap.
I did, too.
I needed that time to decompress. And eat. And sit on the couch and not worry about taking care of him. I needed time to read the newspaper and check email without a child banging on the keyboard or whining "Momma" the entire time I did it.
By the time my husband arrived home from work, I was spent. I had cried while doing the baby's asthma treatment and just threw my hands in the air and walked away from the carrots that he had thrown all over the floor. I didn't even care that we were all going to walk in them. Really.
This makes me appreciate the fact that when my husband is home, he is very devoted to taking care of our kids (& playing Wii, of course); he feeds them, bathes them, cleans up after them. I really and truly don't think I could function for long periods of time without his help. I don't know how single moms (& dads) do it. I am such a wuss and can hardly deal with the weekends that my husband works, let alone to be by myself 24/7. Single parents are stronger than I.
Whoever said having kids was easy is CRAZY. Certifiably insane. And needs their butts totally kicked.
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8 comments:
I know what you mean...Single parents are amazing, I don't know if I could do it. Husband helps a lot on the weekends here, that is so nice:)
A-men to THAT. I give single parents and/or parents with TWINS or TRIPLETS so much credit.
You're right - a nap is good for all parties involved to recycle.
LONG. LIVE. THE. NAP.
Oh, I am right there with you. I just wrote a post about the same thing.
I hope the napping things gets straightened out soon!
My oldest daughter gave up naps way too early too. She totally melts down by the end of the day. Naps are soo good, why do they fight? I would totally take one every day too.
Oh, Toni..honey. I so know where you are coming from. My kids are causing me lots of undue stress as well....it's tough, this parenting thing...I just keep telling myself the rewards outweigh the tough moments...with mine, who by the way don't nap anymore...it is all about the fighting..that is what I wrote about today...hang in there sweetie...and long live the nap!
Having kids is easy.
Raising them is hard.
And I'm with you. I have no clue what I would do by myself...
He comes in & doesn't create more problems? Really? Mine is little to no help. But, I could NEVER do it solo. I cannot imagine being "on" all the time.
I have a good hubby like that too - we are very lucky!
Take care Toni - see ya - Kellan
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