Ever since we started putting Niko in the crib for night-time, it doesn’t matter how early it is, Nina and I always join him (not in the crib, but in our bed) about 10 to 15 minutes after he falls asleep. I almost broke the crib once when I stupidly thought it could hold a little part of me. I was using it as leverage to take the sheets off the bed. I was pissed off and kept apologizing to Nina, but after a few minutes, I was able to carefully get it back in working order.
We have to be sure he is in a deep sleep so we don’t wake him up by opening the door, sneaking in quietly, and talking to each other (all while trying to shush a loud meowing cat who can’t understand why he can’t sleep with us). The reason is simple…we don’t know when he will wake-up. The longest he has gone is 7 hours!!! The day we had to set the clocks back (which I don’t understand why we have to do this, it makes no sense — maybe Trump will work on stopping it), Niko woke-up at 5am!!! Let me repeat that…5am!!! And, if he is awake, that means Mom and Dad have to be awake also!!! Once, I didn’t get up and when I was ready about 2 hours later, Nina had just put him in the crib for a nap. Of course, when I rolled out of bed, Niko wanted to come with me. Hey, I am very fun to hang out with and comfy to sleep on. Man, it sure will be fun when he is older and he comes running into our bedroom and jumps on us screaming I WANT PANCAKES at 5am!! Parents of older children, that does happen, correct? But, probably not in the morning, but when you’re doing something else!!! You know what I mean!!!
Sometimes during that 10 or 15 minutes of pre-sleep (is that even a word?), we eat dinner in his bedroom. A few nights ago, we had only one very dim light on and I told Nina, “dinner by star light” (because the light was a star shape)!!! One thing that we appreciate having in his bedroom is a mini-fridge!!!
Even though I always have a lot of things to do when Niko goes to sleep for the night, I choose to sleep!!! Everything else can wait until the next day, the day after the next day, or the weekend (yes, I am an extreme procrastinator). I know I have said this several times, but it is extremely hard work that never ends; especially, when you have a baby who just started to crawl (like Niko). Basically, I am tired but I won’t complain about it because my son is absolutely amazing and each day, something new happens!!!
Now, for the majority of his naps, we put him in the crib and run away (not far, either in his room or downstairs). But, don’t worry; we do watch him on the baby monitor. It is really weird because Nina and I don’t know what do with ourselves when he sleeping. Just like his nighttime sleeping, we really don’t know how long a nap will last. His longest nap was last week and lasted 2 ½ hours. If only I could get a nap like that? When I nap with Niko, it only lasts about an hour probably because I spoil him by allowing him to sleep on me. So, what does Nina do while we nap? Well, absolutely nothing!! And, that is how it should be…Nina does a lot for me and Niko and deserves a break.
