Lukewarm Coffee

I got up at 7am today, but not because I have to go to work. I got up at 7 because if I sleep until Tyler wakes up, I get zero alone time. Does that make me sound like a horrible mother? Let me explain.

Tyler no longer naps. Well...he may go down ONCE for about 30 minutes, but that's it. He sleeps wonderfully at night - goes to bed at 6:30pm and sleeps until between 8am and 9am and I really can't complain about that. However, like I said, he does not nap. Tyler has also learned how to get into absolutely everything. He climbs and pulls things down and tears and crumples and pushes and explores and does everything a curious little almost 11 month old boy should do. But then he does not nap.

I think most moms will agree, naps are like a breath of sanity. A way to put your child down, walk away, and come back a time later when all is renewed, kiss their sweet faces, hold the little hands that are reaching for you from the crib, and start all over again with fresh perspective on this little one that you love. With no naps, I'm finding that I need to be a little bit more creative on the whole 'fresh perspective' thing. I should note: please hear no cynicism, sarcasm, or unhappiness here. I am not complaining, but rather processing. With each stage in a child's life, there comes new joys and new challenges. My challenge right now is to stay in good spirits with my boy all day long while he explores this little world of his. My joys are much larger than this challenge however: voluntary kisses, dancing (or bouncing) to music, little hands climbing my leg to be held, bright BRIGHT smiles, and laughter when I do the dumbest things.

So I get up at 7. I drink my lukewarm coffee (made at 5am when mitch gets up for work, but I dare not warm it up in the microwave, lest I wake my son), I do things like blog or read a book, and enjoy the quiet for just a little while. And when I hear those sounds from the room down the hall of awakening (which, these days, are less like coos and more like growls and roaring) I will GLADLY go pick up my sweet boy and start another day. Another day made just a little better by my quiet 'alone time' morning.