That’s what naps have felt like since Little Bug turned one.

Literally since the day she turned one.

Crying when laid down.

Taking forever to go to sleep.

And short naps. Like 45 minutes to an hour max. 1.5 hours if it’s a lucky day. 2 hour naps just haven’t happened.

At first I attributed it to the wonder week that happens around the first birthday. Then she was cutting molars. Then she was sick with a cold. But now, I know it has to be something else because night time sleep hasn’t changed and if she was in pain from molars, I am sure she would wake up in the night too.

I’ve even contemplated her being ready to drop the morning nap. But there are clues that indicate she isn’t quite ready for that, either.

In fact, today, I had decided to skip the morning nap, give her an early lunch (say around 11:30) and then put her down for a nap around noon.

Yesterday, after crying for half an hour, she took a 1 hour 15 minute nap in the morning and then after an hour of crying/playing off and on she took a 15 minute nap in the afternoon. (I woke her after 15 minutes because it was 5:15 and if she had slept till after 6, who knows what time she would have gone to bed.) So, yesterday it was early to bed since she had had horrible naps all day long.

She was in bed by 8:15 and went right to sleep. But then, this morning she was awake at 6:56. I know because I heard her and looked at my cell phone and sure enough it wasn’t even 7am!

And all this morning she has been a little crab-apple. She’s had moments of happiness but overall? Crab-apple.

So at 9:30 she was whinny and crying and I’d had it already! So I took her to bed. She protested but within 10 minutes was asleep.

To me, that is a sign of being overtired from short naps for almost a month now. So to cut back to only one nap a day, I think at this point, would be a nightmare for both of us!

So what to do?????? Suggestions welcome!!!!

And can I just say this???

You know I love the Babywise Mom blog. I really do. It has helped me numerous times. But something really, really irks me!!

It seems when sleep problems arise in her children, within a day or two the problem is ALWAYS solved. Has she ever gone through a MONTH of horrible naps? What gives? And the amount her girls sleep?? Her baby (who is just a couple months older than Little Bug) still takes two 2-hour naps a day AND sleeps 12 hours at night. And she makes it seem like she has to go wake her up each morning at 8:30!!!! I hope she realizes that is so not the norm for most babies. (She does, by the way.)

Another thing I wonder about her is this: Does she ever go anywhere??? Because the windows that would allow her to go somewhere, I am just not seeing that happening! There are only 2 hours between the time her baby wakes and then goes down for another nap and in those 2 hours she needs to feed her lunch. And then there is only 2.5 hours between her 2nd nap and bedtime.

There is no way she could go anywhere and make the time worthwhile with only 2-2.5 hours to go and come back (less than that really when you factor in the time it takes to feed lunch/dinner)!

I go places, but I also make sure we are home in time for naps. And as Little Bug has been able to stay awake for longer periods of time, it is easier and easier to get out and do stuff. But seriously, if perfection only comes with being a hermit in my house, then no-thank you.

And that is coming from a perfectionist.

Ok – I’m done.

- Elaine