Last summer, I took a few notes on Lucy’s classic nap routine in preparation for writing it up before she gave up her nap for good. I wasn’t quick enough.
p{color:gray}. Photo: “Me, nap? You must be _joking!”_
Lucy has now been pretty much nap-free for eight months, and while it was a bit rocky (especially for me) at the beginning, we’ve all adjusted. In fact, the other day when Lucy did have an accidental nap on the couch, I realized how much better off we all are this way. Nap-free Lucy doesn’t have to work as hard to transition back into the world in the afternoon (it’s hard for a girl to wake up), and she falls asleep much easier at night. Plus, she and I get to have some one-on-one snuggles in the afternoon!
But, even though it is old news, I thought this flashback would be interesting. Lucy’s nap routine was pretty cute (and rather high-maintenance), and I worked it for many toddler months on end. Here’s to the sleep of a two-year-old!
* Put Rosie in her crib to play with toys and books for a few minutes. Hope she stays happy.
* Set the timer in the kitchen for five minutes. (When we hear the timer beep, that’s the signal to really move things along.)
* “Flips or wiggles?” Lucy gets to choose either being flipped (Mama holds her feet and flops her on her back), or she can choose wiggles (Mama wiggles Lucy’s arms and legs and belly).
* Mama asks: “Piggy Lou, will you turn on the sound machine?” Piggy Lou acquiesces, turning on the “running stream sound”:/news/2006/white-noise/ with her little cloven hoof.
* Barney Bear turns out the light.
* Lucy sits on Mama’s lap in the rocking chair.
* Lucy and Mama pray together.
* Mama sings a song, and sometimes Lucy joins in. It was almost always either “Edelweiss” or Raffi’s “Thanks a Lot.”
* Mama gives Lucy kisses. “On your chin, and your lips, and your nose, and your eyes, and your eyebrows, and your hair, and your sleepy dreamy head.” (This is an allusion to “_Counting Kisses_”:http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/068985658X/octothorppres-20 by Karen Katz, a longtime favorite.)
* Mama and Lucy say “Good night” four times while Mama stands at the door, then walks away for about ten seconds.
* Come back to say “good night” one more time. Lucy says, “Take care of Rosie, okay?” Which I then do, picking up Rosie from her crib, nursing her, and putting her down for an afternoon nap.
At which point, Mama would get a little down-time, too. Ah, those were the days!
I totally agree — Ben not napping makes night time so much more peaceful around here. I just about go crazy when he doesn’t fall asleep until 9:30/10 pm if he gets a nap!!!
Caroline LOVES Raffi’s “Thanks A Lot”!!!! I have to put it on repeat in the car because she continually asks for it.
That’s a very involved nap routine! Is Lucy still having a good quiet time in the afternoon?
Lucy has a pretty good quiet time. She plays or rests by herself while I take a shower (this is my alone time!), and then she either plays by herself, or we read, or watch a video together after I’m all clean. It is working pretty well for us — but I am still amazed by children who play for an hour by themselves! I think Lucy is just too much of an extrovert for that right now. :)
It’s funny how we’re all made differently, isn’t it? After a morning at preschool, Evan needs an hour of down time in his room – usually with his Legos – to get back in the groove. Corrie, on the other hand, will probably not want that at all.