The Vaccuum Method

"Just turn on the vaccuum," my mom said matter of factly.

"And then what," I said hanging on her every word.

"Then vaccuum for tweny minutes and by the time you're done, the baby will be asleep."  That was the advice I got from my mom the first time I called her in distress because Josie, 3 weeks old, was fussing in bed, even though she'd been fed, changed and rocked for several minutes.

I wasn't able to turn on the vaccuum. But I did sit there for as long as my heart would allow and let my baby scream.  Then, when I just couldn't take it any more, I ran to the room, gave Josie the pacifier and rocked her until she finally napped. 

It was one of the first lessons I learned from my mom about motherhood.  While I may never have turned on a vaccuum, I learned that sometimes doing whats best for your baby means doing what breaks your heart and makes your skin crawl.  Every time I let my child cry or didn't let them take a toy into bed or put them to bed early when they were cranky, I thought to myself, at least I'm not putting on the vaccuum.

Because of my mom's advice, I have a 5 and 4 year old who just gave up their afternoon nap.  I was the envy of every mom at the park.  "They still nap," moms would say as their jaws dropped to the sandbox floor.  Most moms I meet have 2 year olds who "just won't nap any more."  Too bad they didn't meet my mom 2 years ago.

I had been toying with the idea of ending Josie and Owen's naps for a few weeks, I'd let Josie and Owen skip nap occasionally here and there.  And then, on the days they did nap, I would find them trading books back and forth until 11pm. 

I knew it was an end of the an era - no more naps. The end of me time in the middle of the day.  But it would mean more time for me and Norm in the evenings, even if we did just on the couch and watch a show together.  At least we wouldn't have to take turns getting up and yelling at the kids to "GO TO BED!"  There isn't a vaccuum loud enough to drown out Josie screaming for more water at 11:00 pm.