I'll Never Let Go

If Jordan's not in his carseat or hasn't naturally fallen asleep while drinking his milk, getting him to take his nap even when he's so dang tired, is just impossible.  Now that his personality has turned into a quirky, silly, and extremely active and fun loving boy, he just wants to read, or play with cars, or stomp on his Sophie the Giraffe and laugh hysterically.  He is full of life and love for it, but that nap is so important!  Without it, he is still silly and funny, running around chasing after balls and climbing on and off the couch and dining room chairs, but a slight bang anywhere on his body, something merely a light touch that wouldn't even have been noticed with a nap, becomes magnified to the nth degree of pain tolerance.  He will scream and cry like it is the most painful thing ever, which is funny considering his real threshold for pain is quite insanely high.  And, I really value the time I get to work (give me a small break, I've been working for a straight hour and worked two hours this morning, I need a break!) whether that means BlueSky work or blogging fun.

Today, when I tried to put him down for his nap, he started bumping his head on the back of the crib, making a funny sound everytime his head hit the crevice, then the crib again, thinking he was so hilarious for noticing it could make his head bump bump bump.  Then, he asked me to read him a book (by merely pointing, we're not that advanced with our words yet) and after I read it, he pointed to the area of books he had amassed from an earlier failed attempt at a nap, and signed for more.  After 45 minutes of me getting frustrated and trying to hold his legs and arms down (that used to work, he'd fight and then give up and fall asleep.. but now he has gained more determination to stay awake and it has not worked in weeks), I gave up and let him do his fake sleep.  You see, he will pretend to lie down, close his eyes like a big ham, and smile really big, knowing that once I leave, he can just get up and play.  Well, he was doing it again, but this time I succumbed.  Sure, just have some quiet time playing.  It doesn't matter that Daddy is working until 10 PM so it's just me and you tonight bud.  It doesn't matter that only I will get your cranky everything hurts even if you poke me attitude.  So I tucked him in, knowing he would get up the moment I left, and told him nap nap, see you later.  As I was closing the door, I could see him looking for that magical moment when the door would close and he could do whatever his lil' heart desired.

I started reconciling numbers.  Accessing invoices online.  Doing my thang.  And after about 20 minutes, I was curious why his play sounds were so quiet.  Was he being super nice and playing that quietly as to trick Mommy more?  I took a peep inside his room.  And what I saw was him, in bed, blanket on top, with a book clutched tightly in one hand.  So somehow, he had managed to get up, grab the book, go back to bed, put his blanket on, and sleep like an angel.  And boy, was he holding that book tight.  I'll never let go mom.  Never.  This book is sleeping with me.  Well, you win some, you lose some.. but looks like I won today!

Andy asked me if I took a picture.  Did I dare do anything that might wake him up?!  Heck no!  I didn't even enter the room, I simply opened the door slightly ajar, peeked in, made an observation, and then closed the door as gently as I could.