Naptime at 21 months

These days my daughter takes nice consistent 1-2 hour naps.  This has not always been the case but the bedtime/naptime routine has payed off.  She finally is at one nap a day.  She has been taking one nap at noon for about 6 weeks now.  It's so nice to be past the "transition stage" where she couldn't make up her mind to take one or two naps.  Our naptime routine is lunch, pajamas, book reading, brush teeth, sing song and snuggle, fluff pillow, cover with blanket, then "night, night, sleep tight."  Lights are off, fan is on for noise, and shades are pulled tight to make her room dark.  It is rare that she cries.  If she does cry it is usually for less than a minute.  We also follow this same routine for bedtime.

When she is at her grandparents she takes naps okay.  However, her naps are usually a little shorter when she is away from home - probably due to routine changes.

I'm so glad she takes naps.  I need them.

Transitioning from two naps to one

My daughter, the worlds best napper, has just lost her "worlds best" title.  She will be 18 months old in two days.  I think she is transitioning from two naps to one nap a day.   As I type this, she is in her bedroom, fussing and refusing to nap.  Her traditional first nap is at 10:30 but for the last two days she has protested it.  So, today I am trying a different tactic - I waited until she started to get still and cuddly then I decided she was ready for her nap.  We went to her bedroom at 11:00.  I read to her (always do this before nap or bedtime) then I nursed her (I usually only do this before bedtime.)  I nursed her hoping it would help calm her.  When I laid her down she fussed less than she did the past two days.  But now it is 11:48 and she just cranked it up loud.  Oh no.  This is not fun.  The stress.  I hate this part of being a mommy.  But, I love just about everything else.

Update:  After 45 minutes of talking, fussing, then loud crying she got quiet.  Asleep at last!  Whew, that was rough for us both.