Sleepy-time Struggles

Help! I am just about going crazy here. Lately James has decided that he doesn't like to nap! He has always been a great sleeper, and still sleeps very well at night (no crying, just goes right to sleep). For awhile now he has been on kind of a late napping schedule (but it has worked) - where he'll go down for a nap in the afternoon around 2 or so, and sleep for 2 or 3 hours. Then, he just stopped. I realized that he was probably tired earlier, so I started putting him down around 12:30 or 1, which sometimes does work. But for the most part - I'll lay him down (doesn't matter what time) and he will just happily play and talk in his crib for about an hour, until I've had it and I go get him up. Then he gets so grumpy and obviously still needs a nap, so I try again an hour later and he sleeps great (but then he naps too late, and it throws off the whole schedule - or lack thereof).

Any suggestions? Is anyone else going through this same thing? He will be two in December, so he is really little to give up naps. And I am definitely not ready for that yet!

Are you kidding me??

...my child is in bed...willingly!! About 45 minutes ago (around 6:15) he started saying, "Bed?" I'd ask, "you want to go to bed?" and he'd respond, matter-of-factly, "Yeah!" Cool. There are NO complaints here. He had a bath, we read a book, sang some songs (which he sang along with - adorable!), I got him situated in his bed with a few books to read (he LOVES to read in bed for a little while before going to sleep), he reached up and voluntarily kissed me goodnight, I said "Love you!" and he said, "Vuv oo!" and that was that!

Sweet.

Naptime Struggles

Our silly boy has had trouble going to sleep for his nap the past few days. There is no doubt that he is exhausted and needs a nap, but he simply refuses to fall asleep. He'll be up in his room and I'll hear "thud! thud!" - he is throwing all of the contents of his bed onto the floor (the thud was his crib rail covers that I use to hold a blanket up to block the sun, and any books in his bed - he loves to read before bedtime!).

Yesterday I finally caved when he started crying and crying. When I got in his room to see what was the matter, there he was in his bed with his blankets, pillow, everything on the floor, except his big teddy bear (whom we affectionately call Bum Bum), which he was clinging to desperately. Poor Bum Bum was hanging out of the crib while James tried desperately to pull him back through the crib rails by his leg. James saw me and cried "Bum Bum!!" It was sad but oh so cute.

Today I put him down and thought all was well, when all of a sudden we hear cheerful yelling coming from his room. He was saying "Echo!!.......................Echo!!!" At least he can keep himself entertained... :)

I am loving...

...that my son gave up his morning naps and is now taking SUPER LONG afternoon naps! He has seriously been asleep for THREE HOURS! I have gotten so much done. I practiced the piano. And cleaned the bathroom. And did the dishes. And cleaned the kitchen. And did some laundry. And made cupcakes. Go me!

Lullabies

Here is what Jonathan heard from the other room a few minutes ago while I was singing to James and putting him down for his nap-


"I love to see the temple, I'm going there someday
To feel the Holy Spirit, to listen and to pray.
For the temple is a holy place, a place of love and beauty -

OUCH!! NO BITING! You're done, go to sleep, Bud."


He was cuddling so sweetly on my shoulder, or so I thought. Now I have a big red mark on my shoulder. What a funny boy. Needless to say, that was the end of his lullaby.