Is it feet off the floor time yet?

Early pregnancy has me, well, taxed. Is that the right word? I really feel as good as is possible in the situation and am accustomed to the morning sickness at this point. I am 10 weeks along now. I have lost my early mornings to sleep and that is when I usually blog. Sleep that I very much need in order to make it through the day well with my little people around here. I rise at 7 am (5:30am was the norm) very often these days and I quite enjoy it too. I thought I would be frustrated to not get a jump on the day before the little ones start to manage the day for me, but, that has not happened. I think pregnancy has a way of bringing peace when you may think it should be anything but peaceful. Strange. I have also lost my evenings of visiting, catching up and planning with my husband because very often, we both are asleep by 9:15pm and if not asleep, well on our way especially if Tess and boys are already in slumber. So all together, I have gathered up 2-4 extra hours of sleep per day because we still do nap in the afternoons. Yes, there is the nap which accounts for the "-4" part of my extra mentioned.

One hour can mean a lot.

Nap time or better known as Feet Off the Floor time. I have even learned (and they have learned and my mother has helped reinforce this too when they are at her house..thanks Mom!) to keep boys down, on my bed after reading to them all, nursing little mama to sleep then telling them we are going to close our eyes for 10 minutes (hoping for that to be at least 30 minutes or more) and do you know, they do it! They stay on my bed because we are having feet off the floor time and that means...your feet are off the floor. For Mr. Win, I have recently added, "and head on a pillow" just to make it clear for him. I do have to swat with my hand gently like swatting at a fly and shush if they get too restless or give them something to do with their hands but I do seem to get a deep cat nap in there and it refreshes me enough for the rest of the day. It may only be 10 - 15 minutes with little interruptions. But, for one hour, they are allowed to play with a quite toy, "read" a book(s), stare at the ceiling, work on a handicraft like the knitting spool ( I need some other little handicraft ideas for this actually....) or...really take a nap! But they must be quiet, not touch each other and not wake the baby. Those are the rules. I recently was given a one hour, hourglass from Pottery Barn (again, thanks Mom!) as a good visual for the boys if they are not sleepy in order to track the time more easily. And they know buddy! Gun informs Win if the sand is not finished and to shush! If I am refreshed and Gun and I are both still awake, we go downstairs and let the little ones continue napping. This is special time for he and I that I know he loves. I should also say, when my husband is home, he appreciates the time too. My little gift of good habit to him.

I should also note and I did not intend to note this last because it is a very important (to me) part of the whole deal. The rest time is without a movie. The time is spent learning to unwind without the blinky box and I like that one. I like cultivating the habit of rest. I do however use movies too but make an effort not to use it at all....a break of a habit that can form easily for a weary mom when I fact ( I believe) they need to learn to just.....be.

I must say, I was not ever as an early new mother this kind of strict nappy scheduling type and I am still not. But, I am a perfectionist. I love routine to my days even if it does not allow me to get to all that I planned..that is another post for later on that subject. The chores, the stress busting/pleasure filled time of sewing, knitting, reading to myself..school things...all that I have planned..you know what I mean...another post. We have many days when I need to go out and shop with the children and nap time for them may be a quickie on the ride to and from as many mamas are familiar. (And it makes me jealous too!...I want a nap too.) But in the routine-ness of our days, "feet off the floor" time is just that...familiar. As normal as grabbing a nap in the car. As normal as lunchtime.

It takes time to develop this special thing. And if you get out of habit of regular rest time, it takes time to reestablish it again but the loving persistence pays off with all bodies happier and refreshed. I think it gets lost as your children get older and nap time becomes devalued. There is even new research showing that children can be more likely obese due to sleep deprivation. They are not doing more video games/tv/reading books, eating too much junk, etc. (sedentary activities) which has long been the perception but rather, due to sleepiness, they are less active during the day and therefore burn less calories and that adds up over time to overweight/obesity...interesting right? Anyway, even if they protest rest (notice I don't call it nap time...it is feet off the floor time!...keep words positive!) even if they protest, in time, they appreciate it. As older, wiser mothers have told me, they will want that time of day to come around when they get to be adolescents and early teens..they need that reading/napping/recharge in quiet time, every day...every single day. In fact, my maturing almost 7 year old already will say on occasion with a pleading tone..."is it feet off the floor time yet??"....love to hear that one. Love it.

Now, having this rest when fun, exuberant friends are visiting for a couple of days? I will let you know how that goes....the mamas have decided to start a mass feet off the floor time..in separate rooms of course! Muellangs time begins tomorrow!..yippee!!