Difficult Bed Times

Bug didn't nap today. He was beyond tired after dinner, that toddler tired where any small upset turns into a nuclear meltdown. He sleeps on a twin bed on the floor, and we don't close his door, so he is free to get up and come out anytime he wants. I laid down with him, like usual. He thrashed and rolled and kicked. He got up and got toys. He got in and out of bed. I knew he was fighting slee...p. I knew if I just left he'd probably fuss for a minute and be out. So I gave him hugs and kisses and left. He fussed. "Mama...Mama...Mama...." His small voice called out to me. I knew I could walk away and he would soon fall asleep on his own. But it broke my heart to think of his calls for me going unanswered, to think of him drifting to sleep that way. So I went back in and picked him up. I walked around the room with him for a good 20 minutes. And then came that magical moment. The moment when coaxing your toddler to sleep turns from holding a bag of cats to cradling a sleeping angel. The moment when you forget all that stuff you couldn't wait to go do, and you want to sit and hold them forever. That moment makes it all worthwhile.See More