Naptime!

Some days I live for naptime. I so look forward to the peace and calm. No one is moving, or talking, asking for something. It is a much needed break in my day. It is also a time I use to get some things done like cleaning, emailing, crafting, blogging, exercising, browsing Pinterest, and sometimes rest. Chase goes to school at noon, so I usually come home and put the other 2 down soon after we get home. Maggie just lays down in her crib with a blanket and I shut the door. I usually read books to Parker and lay him down and leave. This was our routine since Chase started school. Then things changed about 2 months ago.
He started to fight naptime. He would get up and open the door. He would bang on the wall. He would take clothes out of the dresser. He would throw stuffed animals around. Get up to use the bathroom multiple times. This would go on for about an hour. Finally I would just give up. I feared he was trying to give up naps altogether. It was so discouraging and not restful at all for me. This started when he was about 2.5. I think that is too young to give up naps, and his attitude and behavior proved I was correct. He was tired and needed a nap.
We all got very sick about a month ago. Chase was home for a week with the flu, and then he had 2 weeks off for Spring Break. The kids napped every single day. They were tired! I would read some books, and then Chase would lay down and fall right asleep. I laid down with Parker and we both would fall asleep. I learned that if I laid with him for about 5 minutes he would fall right asleep. He loves to lay on my arm, prop his little “feets” on my legs, and snuggle down into the covers. He would smack his little lips, and his eyes got very drowsy. He would fall into a deep sleep.
I learned to slow down, enjoy my kid, and take a break from my to-do list. He needs me to snuggle him to sleep, and I am ok with it! I don’t think I will ever regret my naptime snuggles.