I looked down at her.
She met my glance, her eyes heavy.
She was drifting off.
With every rock of the chair, her eyes closed more.
It was a blissful, peaceful moment.
Serene.
Or it would have been if her brother wasn’t squeezed in to the glider next to me.
Talking.
Constantly.
“Mama, did you know that when I was a baby I drank milk from your tummy too?,” he asked.
“Yes, I do know that,” I said. “I remember it.”
Perhaps I should explain to him it’s not actually my tummy she drinks from. Someday. Maybe. Down the road.
But not now.
We rocked, quietly, for half a beat.
Then he moved on.
“Mama, pee pee! Pee pee!”
Crap. I have to take him. He’s probably serious.
I put the baby on her playmat and took him to the potty.
As soon as I set her down, she rolled, on autopilot, to her stomach and began commando crawling.
She must be tired. Surely. She’s almost 2 hours late for this nap because we were at the park. Why is she trying to crawl, now?
“Mama, I’m done!”
He was calling me from the bathroom.
Awesome.
After I helped him finish his potty duties and wash his hands, I stopped to pick up my little Marine.
She had managed to make it halfway across her rug.
We returned to the chair.
All of us.
Of course.
Settling back into the glider.
And we started rocking again.
In silence.
For a second.
Maybe she’ll fall asleep now.
And then he started again.
“Mama, do you remember when we went to Bunnyland? I rode a horse!”
“I know you rode a horse, baby,” I answer. This horse ride was a big deal in our house. Huge.“But could you please stop bouncing up and down, little boy?”
It’s like sharing a rocking chair with a jumping bean.
“But why, Mama?,” he asked. His face was the picture of confusion.
So this poor baby will just go to sleep.
“Mama, why are you whispering?,” he yelled, his voice raspy. The toddler approximation of being quiet.
“Because your sister is sleepy,” I reply. “Remember, we are trying to help her fall asleep?”
Because I need her to go to sleep, so I can put you down for your nap. So I can have 30 minutes to just check my email.
Drink a diet coke.
And clear my head.
“Mama, do you need her paci?,” he asked, producing the pacifier from who knows where. “I have her paci. See? It’s in my mouth.”
He sucked on it.
Just to prove his point.
“Sure,” I answer. “Can you pass it to me?”
Sorry, baby girl. I used to sterilize things.
We all make sacrifices.
I inserted the pacifier in her mouth.
She settled immediately.
And I was filled with optimism.
“Mama, I think she’s falling asleep! Can I put her in her crib?”
Um, no.
I set the baby down and moved toward the door.
“Mama, can I climb in her crib? No, why are you carrying me out? I want to nap with her! Do you hear me? I want to nap with her! Mama!!”
Sorry, little dude.
Mom wins this round.
Today.
Good luck on the next day.
Jessica recently posted..Now You Can Call Me “Fancy Pants Mommy Cita”
Oh this was me earlier today. I was nursing the baby, then got up to walk him around (I’m considering that exercise), while the toddler was playing around me, occasionally coming over to jab the baby, touch him, pull at his swaddle, pull at my hand, stomping on the floor, talking loudly, shouting occasionally.
I was so relieved when the baby finally fell asleep & didn’t wake up once I put him down in his crib. And got the toddler off to his nap in record time.
One day at a time, right?
Alison@Mama Wants This recently posted..The Little Joys of Motherhood
I hope he went to sleep too. I am so glad the paci helped.
JDaniel4′s Mom recently posted..A Road Trip Muffin Tin Meal and Road Trip Travel Items
Oh I so remember trying to get my youngest to sleep as a baby with two two year-olds running around. Every time his eyes would start to close they would amp up the noise, AGAIN. Hope you win again today.
Jessica recently posted..Unexpected Gifts
Hahah!! Oh my. You wrote this scene out perfectly. I remember when I babysat my girlfriends baby and Chinky wanted to sit on my lap too and ask 12332 questions. While I found it cite at the time, I bet it gets old every day
Kimberly recently posted..It’s Been One Week
So true. It is amazing how hard it is to understand for them, you know? Dylan is not a fan of the naps anymore, but when he was younger, Abbey LOVED when he took a nap. We would play all sorts of fun things. Yet she could NOT manage to be quiet long enough for me to get him down many, many days.
angela recently posted..In My Bag–Be Enough Me
What a sweet picture of your moments together.
Mel recently posted..Details
oh yes, I used to sterilise things
You sound so happy over there with your sweet cherubs xxxx
By Word of Mouth Musings recently posted..Slow down.
[...] Running the Naptime Gauntlet from Life on the Mama Track is written as only Natalie can, about the crazy balance of getting a baby to sleep when you have a toddler. I L-O-V-E this post because it reminds me of Sawyer’s babyhood and all I had to do to get that baby to sleep with a house full of Crazy. [...]
You are so patient. It takes a lot of patience and I am still learning that myself.
Elaine recently posted..If at first you don’t succeed…
I wish, Elaine. I’m trying. But I definitely struggle at times.