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Y’know how sometimes you get a little mired down in a situation and you can’t see the forest for the trees? Well, yesterday The Mommy had a “duh” moment about The Tater Tot’s sleep situation. We went down the street to visit our friends B and Z and, while we were there I was lamenting how Tater Tot would go down for her nap tired, yawning, sleepy as all get out but still be awake 45 minutes to an hour later. Since The Daddy has been on Spring Break he has sometimes been going in there to rock her a little bit more since he is the Baby Whisperer. He really is. She can be wide awake and grinning when he goes in there and all he has to do is rock her for half of a song and she’s out! But I digress. I was saying to B that I just didn’t know what it was when she said “Maybe she’s keeping herself up for those 45 minutes waiting for someone to come rock her again.” Well, “Duh, Mommy!” If she has gotten in the habit of someone coming in later to rock her some more, she knows that she can talk to herself and play with Mr. Duckie as long as she’d like instead of soothing herself to sleep! It makes perfect sense and it was right under my nose. Thank God for Mommy Friends who support us (and remind us of what we’ve read in Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child)!

Instead of feeling bad that I didn’t realize what may be going on, I am going to just be grateful that my friend did and tweak my plan accordingly. So, Princess Tater Tot is currently down for her first nap and, if she doesn’t fall asleep within an hour, I’m going to take her out and go on with the day. Second Nap will happen at the usual time or when I see that she is just short of over-tired. Things may get wiggy in the short run but, hopefully, in the long run our normal routine will be re-established and she’ll go back to soothing herself to sleep within a short period of time. Luckily, she just talks to herself and Mr. Duckie instead of crying.

There are always those days, too, when it looks like she is starting to only need one nap a day but she still gets sooooo cranky if she only has one nap so I’m not convinced it’s time for that yet.

Anyhoo, time to go do important things like showering before Tater Tot’s hour is up!