The Naptime Regimen

While it might seem mundane to hear our naptime routine, I thought it'd be amusing to parents who also have a detailed naptime routine. I move covertly around my home during naptime, attending to the smallest details to ensure children fall asleep and stay asleep. Everything hangs in perfect balance around here as I hope both kids rest easily, without fighting me...so here is my latest Kyle-routine...
1. All blinds closed in living room
2. Blanket/pillow in place on couch of choice
3. TV set at level 4 volume
4. Kyle picks a resting video: James or Percy (Percy put in if James is keeping him for settling down)
5. Kyle tucked in under blanket with Bear
6. Sippy cup nearby pillow
7. Cell phone off
8. Phone ringer off
9. Answering machine volume at zero
10. Doors both bolted at top
11. Ceiling fan on
12. AC on
13. Sign on door to not ring or knock
14...Oh, forgot to mention the loopiest part:
15. Prepare entire meal for self before routine begins. If salad, in fridge with items not to be soggied, waiting on washer in utility room, where like a stealth bomber, finish assembling salad, provided opening fridge door does not awaken sleeping giant. If heated meal, in corningware dish, covered in foil, wrapped in kitchen towel (since it could be 45 minutes before I get back to it).
16. Cup with ice waiting in freezer in garage for me to assemble drink out there, so he doesn't hear me clinking ice cubes... (our kitchen and living room is all one big space, so the refrigerator may as well be next to Kyle in situations like this)

Does this even begin to tap into how OCD this all is??? ALl for a 3 year old to sleep??? Yeah, i could eat with the kids, but if you've ever prepared meals and managed the meals of a 3 year old and 1 year old, you realize you can forget eating with them. That just doesn't happen because you have to remember the time-outs that ensue during mealtime, in addition to potty breaks or as in our case, cleaning up major accidents in the underware during mealtime, not to mention refills, picking up Makenna's thrown food, spooning out "seconds," cutting up more food for Makenna, who never seems to fill up. Never a dull moment around here.

For Makenna--I put her in her crib, shut the door, turn on AC for noise, plus her noise machine. She's pretty easy compared to Kyle! Then I repeatedly creep down the first two steps on the stairs to look at him on the couch. If he's asleep, I creep downstairs and stealthily close armoire doors while turning off VCR (yes, old school tapes from Levi), so that it doesn't make racket rewinding and ejecting. I then begin my mealtime process and creep back upstairs. (In addition, while downstairs and then definitely when I get upstairs, I often am on my knees praying for my children to rest). The Lord and I talk OFTEN about this. Well, I talk nonstop, He nods (probably wanting me to just be silent for once), never growing impatient with my routine request. I love my Father in Heaven.

You're either amused at all of this or you are so "past" this stage that you are right now eternally grateful to have moved on to soccer and baseball frenzy, sleepovers, homework, and summer camp. Parents always give me these knowing smiles when I describe the nap process. I am always amused at hearing their scenarios. Millions of Moms across the globe do some crazy routine every day to get naps squared away...I would LOVE to read an article of people's routines in different cultures. I think we'd all see how linked we are from just this one little family thing!

Just a few minutes ago, I realized I needed to check on the video and see if I needed to turn it off before it began rewinding and I risked the sleeping giant awakening. Like a submarine I moved downstairs and realized it was in rewind mode! I hip hopped to the TV, quickly and gently pulled the doors slightly shut and hit the power buttom just as the machine finished rewinding--whew! That was close! But then the sleeping giant stirred and with the grace of a gazelle, I lept over the ottoman, hoping he did not feel my movement in the room. You'd think I had those Mission Impossible lasers throughout the living room with the way I was moving. I then lept around a corner to hide from Kyle in case he lifted his head. Seriously, I have to do all of this because I know all too well how waking-up-too-early occurs. I was just glad I didn't totally bite the dust on the ottoman as a few days ago, this Ottoman Jumping Queen nearly threw out her back while racing to untangle Makenna from underneath the lamp table. I'm still feeling the painful effects in my back from that clumsy hurdle.

But alas...both children are fast asleep right now, and I get to connect to the outside world...preschool was swell today and tomorrow, fun playdate with Levi, who we have missed seeing since preschool started for Kyle. If you have kids, I hope they rest well today and tonight...and if anyone simply needs a nap, I hope you rest well too...just no sleeping on the job and don't fall asleep on your keyboard--saliva can ruin those things...