One thing that I have noticed about parenting, is that in all my efforts to figure any of it out: the sleeping patterns, the eating patterns, what makes him throw a tantrum, how he likes his food arranged... it seems that whenever I think I have cracked the code, my children change.
When my son was an infant, there was a period when I wrote down the time and duration of every nap and night waking. I guess I thought if I could decipher a pattern, I would have the power to change the situation to better fit my life. After gathering enough data, I would sit and stare intently at the numbers, waiting for patterns to emerge. Nothing. No repetition, rhyme or reason. So with my second baby, I did the opposite. I ditched the clock in my bedroom (now I have no idea when or how many times my little one wakes for a nighttime nurse), and we ditched the attempt at a napping schedule. This has drastically improved the flow of the day. (hint: If there is no expectation of a nap at 9a, then there is no disappointment when it doesn't happen!) When we are able to accept the day as it is and lose our unrealistic expectations, we often find more room for joy in unexpected blessings.
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