siesta

summer activities for preschoolers #6

(the sixth in a weekly series of ideas for families with preschoolers...please feel free to share your own by clicking "comments" below!)

When I was growing up, my mom always added a pinch of salt to oatmeal to "bring out the flavor" of that otherwise good and hearty breakfast. 

Adding to the goodness and heartiness of summer, our family adds a "pinch of salt" to our day to bring out the flavor of that already delicious season. 

Imagine a summer morning of play in sun, sand, and a refreshing mountain-fed lake. Kids and Mama are both invigorated by the cool water and relaxed by the warm sun. A satisfying lunch is followed by a (here's the pinch of salt) SIESTA, to quietly rest before the afternoon festivities resume. 

We ALL take a daily siesta after lunch. This mid-day rest truly enhances our experience of the day. The days - as full and fun as they are - can be long... filled with activity and interaction. Having a little siesta is a great solution for us. Socializing, interacting, exploring, and adventuring surrounding the siesta seem enhanced by the break.

How does it work out practically for us right now? 

Because the effects of our siesta are so significant and vital at this season in our family's life, I make no apology for protecting it from interruption. With few exceptions, from 12-2 I turn off the phone's ringer and post this sign on our door. 

Jude (almost a year) and Jack (coming on 3) continue their daily naps at this time, but the girls (nearly 4 and 5) aren't taking regular naps. 

For the girls, ideally, their siesta involves choosing some books, coloring book/markers, blocks and toy cars, or other activity they choose to enjoy QUIETLY and ALONE in separate rooms for an hour or so. It is an expected time of uninterrupted solace. Their minds and bodies rest. 

I look forward to a siesta, too, but resting doesn't come easily for mothers when the list of things to do keeps growing. This hour is prime time to get stuff done! But because my children are deeply affected by me at this stage in their lives, I have to purposefully disengage from thousands of other things that I can do to simply rest and recharge. It helps keeping in mind that I'm a better mama for my children when I'm rested. 

So for me lately, I do a quick tidy of the house in preparation for the afternoon before I relax. Then, I may be found lying on the couch, resting my eyes while listening to instrumental hymns by Fernando Ortega and the like on the internet's Pandora. Or I may be refreshed by catching up on emails or blogging. 

You could really call #6 in this series a "summer UN-activity". The idea of our siesta is to disengage in such a way that mother and child are relaxed and recharged in the middle of a lovely summer's day.

jelly bean

when everything's funny

so I was up a lot last night with Jude 

- poor boy had a miserable little fever- 

and so now I'm kind of slap-happy 

(not about Jude's fever... just my lack of sleep)

one fact about me that doesn't come out too often is 

that I can get so goofy in my head when I'm tired 

that every thing's uproariously funny.

so here's a funny Friday post for ya. 

(at least it's funny to me and maybe people who get wound-up-silly when they're tired)

*

Catherine helped me wash the dishes and then drained the sink. 

She saw the water vortex in the drain and said:

(a new word covering both hurricanes and tornados?)

*

Camille put a pencil up to her eye and said:

(we've been reading a LOT of pirate stories lately)

*

Catherine saw this CD cover and said, "That looks like Granddaddy!"

(and in some crazy way... it did)

*

Finally (for your sake, people):

I was reminded of this joke today when my kids were watching a show about numbers.

What did the Zero say to the Eight?

"Nice belt."

(-joke courtesy of my brilliant scientific brother, Zach

 proving once again his ability to understand the physics of chemistry and still play with numbers, too).

* 

Happy weekend, folks.

Hope yours is full of good humor.

dreamland

Sun goes down and says goodnight
Pull your covers up real tight
By your bed we’ll leave a light
To guide you off to dreamland

Your pillows soft, your bed is warm
Your eyes are tired when day is done
One more kiss and you’ll be gone
On your way to dreamland

Every sleepy boy and girl 

In every bed around the world

Can hear the stars up in the sky

Whispering a lullaby

 Who knows where you’ll fly away

Winging passed the light of day

The man in the moon and the milky way

Welcome you to dreamland

Mary Chapin Carpenter, Dreamland

Nights at our house, Part Three

Last night, I gave Jack his last feed at 10 pm, and he slept til 5 am!

He has been careful never to miss a feed up til a week ago, waking every three hours. But now at 13 weeks, he's started to go longer at night. Thanks, Jack! (although I do miss seeing your sweet self at night, when I could keep my eyes open).

This little guy seems to sleep best listening to the lullabies of his sisters as they make "sister noise" throughout the house.

Nights at our house, Part Two

Lately, Camille has been asking for her milk (which starts her bedtime routine), and often forgoes the singing and snuggle. Last night, she led the way to her crib, and grabbed the crib slats to pull herself up and in. She snuggles with her teddies, giggles, and passes out. With her enthusiasm, you'd think we'd be taking her to the playground, not to bed.

So, there's not much to say here about Camille's sleep... Once she started sleeping through the night at 8 weeks, she has rarely woken, except occasionally in the event of sickness. Even teething hasn't woken our Camille. Sharing a room with Catherine (who frequently wakes crying), Camille soundly sleeps. We are amazed and thankful!!


Camille is wholehearted about everything she does; I guess it makes sense that she sleeps wholeheartedly at night.

Nights at our house, Part One

One of the biggest parts of our day is actually our night. How well we rest, one and all, affects how we are, one all all, the next day.

Catherine had a great sleep last night!

For Catherine, this solid night of rest is (sadly) a-typical. From the time she was born, she was a textbook sleeper... until she turned four months old. Maybe my body was getting ready to get pregnant with Camille and my milk supply was dropping, causing her to wake hungry. In my insecurity as a first time mother, I fed her everytime she woke up... just to make sure. This could happen multiple times at night. That may have created night-waking habits that we just haven't been able to break with her.

Certainly one factor for Catherine's habits was caused by the loved/hated pacifier. We took away Catherine's pacifier around two years old... cold turkey (Erik's idea... this soft mama would have broken it of her for the next ten years). She would lose her paci in the night and cry out because she couldn't find it. We took Camille's away the same night, and in less than a week they were "cured".

Finally, we have listened to Catherine's type of cry in the night, and at times she sounds frightened. We know our child. We have a very sensitive, aware, and imaginative little girl. We do not want to block/ignore her cries if they are legitimate, but we do want to help break any habits that are causing her a poor sleep (and consequently a tougher next day). We pray that God will give us a sensitivity from night to night in how to respond to Catherine.

Our bedtime routine includes reading, singing, and praying - all of which we intend to be encouraging and reminders of God's love and care for her. We have encouraged her to talk to Jesus, too, on her own in the night, or to sing a song.

We don't know how long this will continue. Sometimes it's tough on us if she wakes multiple times in the night. We also get tired and grumpy the next day. We are honest and share with her how it affects us, but we assure her of our love which won't change. Please pray for us to be sensitive to God's counsel for supporting Catherine's sleep. If you or someone you know has a child with a similar experience, we would be open to hearing suggestions. Thanks, friends!