Turn, turn, turn...

As the actual season is changing (chilly mornings, final garden harvests...) we seem to be turning towards a new season in our own little family.  The little guy is 2-1/2 now and naps are slowly slipping away, right through my fingers it seems!  He still naps most of the time, but once every week or every couple of weeks, we will have 1, or 2, or 3 days without a nap.  It is a hard adjustment to make for me, but I think hardest for big sister who has come to enjoy that quiet time every afternoon with her dolls and special toys she doesn't want to share, and of course, with mama!  She asks when "mama-time" is every day and rushes off to play quietly in her room while I get her "baby" brother to sleep.  Although they have their moments, they really are so sweet together and big sis is so patient with her very rambunctious little brother, so I look forward to giving her that one on one attention too.  You know, the kind that isn't constantly interrupted by pulling a naked child off the table or counter, or the kind that doesn't need to be diverted by a suspicous rummaging in the fridge and an insistence that he CAN pour his own milk from the full gallon, or the rushed trip to the potty, or the "Mom, he's HITTING ME!" Yikes.  Rambunctious doesn't quite describe this kid, but we love him anyway :) 

In any case, we have pushed through those napless afternoons when they happen with lots of outdoor play time, sometimes a special snack for all of us, and some quiet cuddles on the couch while I TRY to nurse him to sleep!  In turn, my sweet girl and I have enjoyed some special cuddly reading time after the little guy crashes out at 7:00 p.m.!  I didn't realize how much I missed snuggling my girl to sleep-I always do bedtime by myself with both kids, pretty much since he was born, so we have gradually moved from an hour of tummy rubbing and cuddling while I nursed a newborn into having my daughter pop right into her bed after storytime to fall asleep by herself (in the same room though) while I nurse her brother to sleep. 

I almost think this no nap traded for a super early (and easy!) bedtime might be worth it, but only time will tell how this season will turn...

In other news, we enjoyed an end of garden feast for dinner of fried green tomatoes plucked fresh from our vines and sweet potatoes dug up today!  I am already missing summer!