Bend, flex and lean in (Napping with Ava)

Ava will be 23 months in a matter of weeks and as two creeps up on us it is hard to believe we are also approaching 2 years of napping with her. Gasp, I know. Judges going to judge judge judge but I'm going to shake it off (HaHa).  When Ava was first born, up all night crying I used Mason's nap time to get some rest myself.  I would put her on my chest, lay on the couch and somehow rock her to sleep;  it was the only guaranty I would get any rest that day.  Mason almost always would out sleep her and to be honest still does.   I spent most of the past two years napping with Ava frustrated and not relaxing because I couldn't help but think of all the things I could be doing.  I would say that for the better part of 2016 I have completely leaned in.  I have found myself napping with her, reading books, catching up on emails or suffering the net.  I still know that my time would be better spent cooking dinner, cleaning, taking a shower, working out; honestly the list could go on forever. However, come 1pm every afternoon in our household we ALL need a little break and napping with Ava is the only way to truly get that.  The house is quiet, no one is crying or calling out for me and I guess I'm choosing that over letting her cry for two hours.... or all the other trips/tricks we have tried in effort to break this habit.  Recently, she has been giving me 15-20 minutes in her crib with a book during this time.  I have used the time to do quick little tasks or just hang with Mase.  So there, I've come clean to our dirty little secret!  I would have judged you too but honestly the peace that rolls around here at 1:30pm is AMAZING and I'm choosing GRACE over PERFECTION.

Plus, how amazing is all this snuggling!?!?!