A special occasion

My parents finally got into town late last night. When I say “late,” that’s mommy talk for three hours past Ladybug’s bedtime. In reality, it was only 10:30 p.m.

But we let Ladybug stay up to greet them. We had been talking up their visit all day, starting with her first diaper change in the morning.

“Do you know who’s coming to see you today? Grandmom and Grandad! And if you take a nap this afternoon, you can stay up to see them!”

Ladybug’s eyes widened and she clapped. See, Ladybug only takes one nap – a midmorning two-hour snooze fest. We gave up afternoon naps more than a year ago when we discovered (the hard way) that they prevent her from sleeping at night. If she took an afternoon nap, she’d stay up until at least 9 p.m., fall asleep for a few hours, then wake up and play in her crib until 3 a.m. She’d doze off for a few hours before being forced out of slumber by my alarm at 6 a.m. The whole cycle made for very cranky baby and parents.

So when we mention an afternoon nap to Ladybug, she knows there’s something special going on. And the timing couldn’t have been more perfect. The crew started cutting down the second tree yesterday morning (read “Life’s Curve Balls” to see what I’m talking about), and the sound of their chain saws kept Ladybug from taking her morning nap. By the time the crew finished at 3:30 p.m., Ladybug was ready to sleep, and she napped until about 6:30 p.m. She ended up staying up until almost midnight. The rest of us stayed up until 2 a.m., and a short seven hours later, Ladybug was calling for her bottle.

Normally by now Ladybug would be taking her nap. But as I look at her sitting on the floor, singing “Old McDonald” and playing Legos with my mom, I don’t think she’s going to be going to sleep anytime soon.

I can’t say the same thing for me.

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