I Love My Baby When She's Sleeping

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Don’t get me wrong. I love spending time with my baby. She’s nearly three months old and getting more interactive by the day. I love seeing her develop a new skill, like holding her head up during tummy time or batting at the toys in her activity gym. I love having a “conversation” with her, which consists mostly of us cooing back and forth. I love reading to her and being able to hold her attention for an entire book. And more than anything, I love when she flashes me her giant toothless grin when I do something to make her laugh.

Buuuut, it’s also pretty great when she’s sleeping. First of all, I feel a huge sense of accomplishment when I’m able to get her down for a nap. If I can catch the nap window early and get her down on the first try, I literally feel like a superhero. Then I practically get giddy thinking about all the things I can do while she’s sleeping. Shower…eat breakfast…put on real clothes…tidy up around the house…unload the dishwasher…pay the bills…write thank-you notes…order dog food…GO TO THE BATHROOM. All these mundane tasks that I would normally take for granted or roll my eyes at suddenly become the highlight of my day.

And if she sleeps more than 1 hour at a time? Oh my gosh, WHAT ELSE COULD I DO?! I become manic just thinking about the possibilities. So much so that I normally squander away the extra time running in circles, starting five different things but finishing none of them. (This blog, for example – I’ve sat down to write it at least three times in the past month and keep increasing the age of my daughter with each new attempt.)

Having a baby can be exhausting, and especially at this age when there’s only so much to do with them while they’re awake, it can sometimes feel like a hamster wheel of activity gym, tummy time, book, song, repeat. So fellow moms, relish in the naps and don’t feel guilty about enjoying each additional minute that your baby is sleeping! Just make sure you prioritize the shower, because we all deserve clean hair at least one out of every three days.