Sleeping beauty

Sweet girl, one day you will know the true value of a nap. The benefits that a little shut-eye can bring to our mind, body, and spirit. The advantage to just taking a little break, shutting out the world around, and escaping to a worry free land for an hour or two.

One day, when you rock some kid’s world when you become their mommy, you will know the truth of my words for all these years when I try to make sense to you of how important nap time is for me, too. You know how I always talk about how nap time makes me better?

Mommies are better mommies when their children take naps.

One day, you’ll know. But for now you protest.

Sometimes, I take you to your room for a nap, I’ll head back downstairs, and I end up yelling back and forth with you for two hours before I give in and realize that sleep isn’t on your agenda while the sun is still out. And sometimes, I pull out my bag of tricks (i.e. bribery) and the thrill of the post nap prize lulls you to sleep before I know it. Then there’s the moment when you fall into a hard sleep during a disciplinary situation. You know the one when I warn you that if you say one more sassy thing, or if you come out of your room there are major consequences? Yeah. I consider those naps, too. Anything as long as you’re quiet for a little while.

I’m Mom, so it’s rare that you win the nap debate. Even if you don’t sleep, every day while we are at home together, there will be a break in the day where you spend a nap’s worth amount of time in your room. I’m not big on bargaining with a three year old, either. I make the deals, kid. Not you.

But yesterday, you got me when you offered to take a nap in exchange for one tiny M&M. Not even a regular size-d candy coated chocolate. You made your offer with a miniature candy in mind. And I’ll tell ya! I was not going to let such a trade pass me by! You got your miniscule candy, kiddo!

And sure, it’s not like you went straight up to your room and shut your eyes for the next two hours of silence. Princess Sofia needed a Doc McStuffins checkup first, and I found the evidence of all those pizza orders that needed taking… But in the end, we both won. Your sweet tooth was fulfilled, and I got to take a shower with my eyes closed.

Many days, it feels like a battle. Sometimes I even wish it could be a little easier. But the fact still remains that you are the coolest little human being I’ve ever known.

See? What you really don’t know yet, is that I’m the biggest winner in our nap debates. For every time you close those eyes and drift off into a dream land free from worry, I get to sneak up a creaky flight of stairs, crawl next to your bedside, and admire your beauty. I get to connect the dots to your imagination, evidenced by everything surrounding you. And for a few uninterrupted minutes, I get to stare at you and take you all in like I used to do when you were small enough to fit cradled in my arms. And I get to pretend that you’re not really growing up. And that these moments aren’t passing me by.

Dear God, thank you for this child.