There's a glitch that accompanies the extra hours of sunlight I enjoy in the spring — the loss of a precious hour when we "spring ahead." It could make any Tired Mommy lose the spring in her step, especially when it comes to nap time. And, ironically, National Napping Day follows the day we lose an hour!
When my daughters were babies and toddlers, I was the mom who tried everything to get her little ones to nap. (After all, it was my downtime, too!) I nursed. I sang lullabies. I gave my daughters little moisturizing baby massages. I probably even nursed while singing lullabies and giving moisturizing baby massages in a darkened room with a white noise machine on — while praying.
Despite my efforts, one of my daughters figured out how to remove her diaper so she wouldn't have to nap knowing I would have to come into her room to put her back together. To avoid this, I put her down for naps in (backwards) overalls! It was the epic battle of Innovative Toddler wits v. Tired Mommy. In a battle that should not have been a battle at all, you could say that I found a way to regain the advantage. I had a secret fueled by mommy instincts: the powerful soft, snuggly and sweet-smelling lovey. As I nursed my daughter and cooed (in a quiet, darkened room), I put her lovey blanket into her warm, mushy hands. She grasped it, rolling it around in her tiny fingers, and put it on her cheek. When we finished nursing, she would put it on her cutie-pie nose and her heavy eyelids would close... a Pouchie Pals-style victory for all! In fact, it is these experiences that truly helped to inspire our Dream Whisperer — the Pouchie PAL that enhances soothing and encourages sleep with the calming properties of lavender. This is the memory and inspiration I'm going to hold onto on this National Napping Day. May you find a spring in your step and rest in your soul!