Since Sliced Bread

I have just had my best idea. I've invented something. And it may just revolutionize my life.

Okay. I'm using the term "inventing" loosely. It was misleading of me to use it in that second sentence without quotations around it. It would be more accurate to say I "McGuyver'd" something. And it is sheer genius. Genius, I tell you.

What is it?

I call it "THE NAP LENGTHENER." (But it can also be used to buy an extra 30 minutes in the morning.) In Real Simple fashion--it is a laundry bag that doubles as a book bag.

And Henry loves it. It is a big, big hit. At bedtime, I load it up with 3 or 4 board books and when I check on him before I go to bed, I put the books back in the bag.

The necessity that was the mother of this "invention" was that Henry is starting to shorten his naps and wake up before 7. Two things that just ain't gonna happen as long as I'm in charge. I just don't think it is rational to wake up before 7am if you have no where to be other than home. Gotta dr's appt, fine--set the alarm early. But there is a reason they call waking early "ungodly."

And as to the shorter naps? No, thank you. I know I'm spoiled that the pickle sleeps for three hours every afternoon. However, lately, he has been waking up after just 2. But I need these hours. I'd like to say that it is during these hours that I clean my house, work in the yard, bake bread, read the Bible, write the next great American novel. But mostly, I just check facebook, read my book, drink Diet Dr. Pepper, leaving said soda sitting wherever I want, and make lists of all the things I should be doing. (Or like today, I just sat on my bum, drank Diet Dr Pepper, and chilled out with the super cool Jenny and baby Gray. Gray is 5 weeks old and is going to be Henry's "baby" trainer. Henry likes Gray. He particularly likes to point at him and laugh. Not because Gray is funny looking or anything, but because Henry thinks babies are awesome.)

And it is working people! This afternoon, after my four hour lunch date with the Brocks, Henry stayed upstairs for 3 hours. After Jenny left, I turned on H's monitor so I could hear him when he woke up. About 20 minutes later, I heard some grunting and rustling. Then squeals of delight. Then laughter. Then "Ball. Ball. Woof. Woof. Meow. Boat. Boat. Ruck. Ruck. on-on! on-on!" (I think this means honk honk.) And sure enough, when I went to get him, he was laying back in his crib, with his head on "Dog" (the stuffed animal formerly known as Mr. Bunny) and his little feet crossed at his ankles and propped up on "Dog-Dog" (the one that actually is a dog), looking at the Babies First Words book, simply pointing and shouting out all that he saw. (Which essentially means that my son can read. He's that smart.)

I'm also hoping that the Nap Lengthener will work to keep him in his crib as we're converting it to a toddler bed this weekend. Should I be pregnant in a month or so, I won't be able to pick him up to put him in a crib and I'll be too tired to wrangle him back in his crib should it be a total disaster (which I'm expecting it to be for the first couple of weeks). My first goal, like a friend told me, is to simply have him fall asleep in his room and the majority of the items in his room to survive the night.

Come on Nap Lengthener! No whammies.