the afternoon nap

Our daily routine in terms of sleeping has been this for the past few months has been: morning nap in your cot, afternoon nap in our bed laying next to me.  I love the afternoon nap for many reasons:

* I get a daily nap whether I need it or not
* I get to snuggle up with you
* I get to lay and watch you sleeping even if I'm not - surely one of the most relaxing and happy activities a mother can undertake
* I get to ignore the housework and the general untidiness of the house for at least an hour a day
* I get a break from having to do things for you (feed you, clean you, change you, entertain you), and get to just enjoy you.

However, in the past few weeks it's getting harder and harder to get you to go to sleep next to me.  You're becoming too mobile and think it's hilarious to torpedo yourself around the big mattress instead of laying still and waiting for sleep to wash over you.  Lately you also love rolling away from me, back to me, away from me, back to me, and so on.  You love practicing your verbal skills and watch me closely for a reaction.  You love taking your dummy and prodding me with it, as well as sticking your finger in my mouth, up my nose, and occasionally in my eye. It's all become a great big game for you - which is fine - except that we are getting less and less sleep during this time.  And I think you still need it.  So perhaps we may have to save the sleeping for your cot only.  I'm thinking about it... but each afternoon when it comes time for your nap I just can't bring myself to give up the shared nap.  "Just one more day" I think to myself as we head into the big bed.  We'll see what tomorrow brings...