Naptime

I've been wanting to take pictures of the kids sleeping all week, but I was finally inspired to do it today when I read this post. 

Since Cole was born coordinating naps has been a struggle. Well, I guess I shouldn't say that. I LOVE it when their naps coincide, but I try not to force them to nap at the same time. When he was little, he never napped for very long so that was hit and miss, and then for a little while they napped at the same time, then for a month or two they were just missing each other for every nap! (that was rough and nice at the same time).

Cole now takes a morning and afternoon nap (most days) and Lucy just takes her one nap in the after noon. So, usually that afternoon nap is at the same time. This has been really nice lately. It gives me some time to get things done around the house, (or do nothing and spend the whole time on the computer), or work on my (many)projects that I have yet to finish

 (that I started last year!).

I love the quiet that these afternoon naps bring. The other day I was standing in their door way watching them nap - they look so peaceful - and when I looked at Lucy she looked EXACTLY like she did when she was two weeks old sleeping on our bed..

this is the picture that came to mind. 

I took this picture just a few minutes ago...

My how they grow...

Lucy has a few items that have to be with her when she sleeps (these items she also carries from her bed to our room at night when she wanders in...sometimes it's pretty comical to see her with her big bundle in arms), those items are: her blankie (that her great grandma Dixon made for her), a sippy cup of water, her purple baby (present from Oma on her 1st birthday), and 'baby jesus' another purple baby she got for her second birthday. This baby was dubbed 'baby jesus' after Christmas. He is also the baby she is resting her face on in these pictures...purple baby's head is on the other side. 

 She lays her blankie on her pillow so it's under her when she sleeps, then she places her two babies on either side and usually puts her arms around each of them, and makes sure the blanket is over their bodies but not their heads :). 

 Here is little man...oh boy I love this kid. 

He just grows up more and more everyday. 

One of my FAVORITE things about naps with Cole: When he starts to get tired we go into their room, turn off the lights and sing some songs. When he starts to relax and his eyes droop, I try to lay him down so that he can learn to put himself to sleep. He'll rub his face in his sheets and then turn his head to the side and peek through his hand or over his blanket and smile while he looks up at me, with a look that says, "haha, you thought I was sleeping? Psych!" Then I'll pick him up again, bounce for a minute, lay him back down and he'll go to sleep almost right away.   

TANGENT - This is the blanket I made for him for Christmas. It was fun, but I'm not patient enough for a project to last for several weeks. But I am happy that I actually finished it! and he seems to like it enough. 

Those are our sleeping kids!