To Nap or Not to Nap...Napping Math and the Downside of Speech Days...

Here's what I mean when I say that, although I love Jonathan's speech afternoons with Miss Cindy, they have not always been so easy to fit into our days....

So today is Monday and therefore, speech day, as it has been more or less every Monday for the last dozen or so months.  Way back when we first started all this, Jonathan was taking his one and only nap at 10:30, which was odd for a 17-month-old... but it turned out to be a good thing because most parents want morning times for speech. His oddball nap schedule got us in way sooner than we would have gotten in otherwise. (at least that's what they told me). He kept that up for good three months or so after we started, so it worked well.

When he started wanting to nap a little later, I'd try to put him down by 11 or 11:30 on speech days, to have him up and put back together in time for our 1:30 appointment.  A little more challenging, but do'able.

Now, he naps at a much more conventional toddler time on a normal day... 1:30 or 2.

You can see where my dilemma comes in.

Now, if the big boys didn't have school, keeping him up until 2:15 until speech is over would be no problem because he could nap from then until whenever. But on school days, I have to leave here to get them at 3:25-3:30 or so, if I put J down at 2:15, even if he falls asleep IMMEDIATELY, I inevitably have to wake him up and that is SOOO NOT fun.

My other option is to try to nap him early, which is a crapshoot these days because he really doesn't usually get tired until at least 1.

Today I opted for early, ran him ragged this morning and he went down at 12, which ideally will give him an hour and 20 minutes of happy napping. I'm sure I'll have to wake him up at 1:20 and it will be as unfun as it is in the afternoon, but today, I think it was the better option.

So yeah,  speech is awesome. The timing? Not so awesome!!  Honestly? Sort of rooting for him to give up the nap soonish.. I know that's insane, but it will make life easier and I think I can still convince him to have "quiet time". I have been a slave to naps for like nine years on and off now and I'm kind of over it!

Tired.

Oh my goodness I am tired.

Jonathan has decided lately that 5a.m. is a good time to wake up and stay up. It's exhausting. It wouldn't be all that bad of a phase to wait out if it weren't for two things.

1) He's completely mentally exhausting anyway when he's up. It's just constant with the activity and the touchiness and wailing because I won't let him drool all over my laptop and trash all my files.

2) He has been climbing out of bed an average of 20 times or so at night when we put him down. Lately it has been almost an hour after actual bedtime that we actually get him to stay in his bed.
He's not upset or anything. In fact, he leaps out and comes tearing down the hall laughing manically.

(sigh)

This kid is crazy tough.

On the positive side, his naps are usually about 2-1/2 hours now AND he is still letting me rock him.

So life is not all bad. ;)

Night Terrors and Birthday Parties...

ETA: Barrel of cheeseballs, animals crackers,pretzels, juice boxes and water purchased. I'm also thinking some grapes and strawberries (plus the cake)... is that enough for 20-some-odd kids?





Jonathan had himself another lovely little night terror last night. Mercifully, it only lasted 20 minutes. I kind of saw it coming. He took a longer than usual late nap and then, because of that, we put him to bed an hour and a half late. So we were asking for it.
Good times.

Gearing up for Ben's 8th birthday on Saturday! He has a birthday shirt and button to wear to school tomorrow and a bag of pencils to give out to his class that all say "Second Graders are AWESOME". (can't take in food treats....yada yada blah blah ).

His presents are wrapped and on the dining room table, which thankfully, he hasn't noticed. From us, he is getting a basketball hoop for over his bedroom door, a University of Kentucky shirt and matching shorts, and a MarioKart K'nex track. There were a couple Ninjago items in there too, but I am going to pull them and put them aside for either Easter for both boys or save them for when Ninjago makes another appearance in Ben's obsession-world. (I would say I would save them for Simon's birthday but as soon as he realizes Ben's not into it anymore, he won't be either... sigh...) I saw the Ninjago thing fading last week and yesterday, he mentioned he was into MarioKart again now. OMG. He does this to me every. single. year. From now on, please remind me to shop no sooner than two days prior to his birthday.

I ended up nixing the Lego cupcakes and ordering a Safeway cake. It's just easier given that I have ZERO time and there a fazillion children coming. Also nixed the Ninjago cake pops because umm.... why? Instead, he is getting a brightly colored generic cake and fairly generic goodie bags... the only thing that hinted of a Ninjago theme in the goodie bags anyway were little rubber Ninjas I found at Party City. ;)

Still have to go buy the party snacks and fruit. Other than that... we're good. Super simple. Simple is good these days.

Sunday we are having a cookout with my family, at Ben's request. :) Excited about that too but can't really think about it until sometime after 3p.m. on Saturday. LOL!

Night Terrors Must Be Part of Genetic Package A...

Jonathan woke up last night around 11 ... it started with just a little fussing but quickly escalated into blood-curdling screaming. I assumed he was waking up with the cold Ben had last week and that, based on what Ben had complained of, that his throat hurt or maybe it had made its way to his ear already. I went in to dose him up with Motrin and assess the situation. Tom was sitting on the floor with him and he was flailing and writhing and screaming. His eyes were open but it was obvious he was not actually conscious of his surroundings.

Yep. The dreaded night terror.

Ben started getting these at the same age. It was terrifying the first time it happened but we eventually figured out what they were. Thankfully, we knew what to expect this time, so we just camped out on the floor and let him throw himself around. There isn't much more you can do. You can't wake them up. They can't be comforted no matter how hard you try or what you offer. You just have to wait it out...

They generally last about a half hour, so we waited and waited and sure enough, somewhere around the 35-minute mark he just passed out on the floor and we put him back in bed.

He has taken only one nap for the last three days or so and night terrors are usually brought on by not enough sleep. I'm sure that's what started it. And I'm sure this will be far from the last one. Sooooo... we're bracing ourselves for a year or so of occasional nighttime screaming fits. (sigh)

At least we know what to expect... ? LOL.

Non-stop Ben...

Benjamin stayed awake today from 6:30a.m. until the time this picture was taken. Mommy is tired. :(