While You Were Sleeping

Each day has two sweet spots: Levi's morning nap and afternoon nap.  Oh yes, baby!  30 golden minutes per nap.  Yes, that's it.  He isn't one of those babies that take 2 hour long naps.  

I am deeply impressed with those smart mothers who sit down and take a break when the baby sleeps.  Whenever I sit down and "rest," my mind is racing.  The pull is far too strong, so I end up using those precious 30 minutes to dash and do as much as I can.  It's a race against time I enter each day.  On some days I win.  Most days the light goes off, interrupting me in mid-action.  I think, "Already?"

I have to think fast when Levi sleeps.  I think about my priorities that day.  Do I jump in the shower?  Tackle that pile of laundry?  Make calls?  Unload the dishwasher?

I find myself breaking down each chore into minutes.  Laundry would take me 15 minutes.  That leaves me with 15 minutes to shower and get dressed.  If I finish more than one chore during his first nap, I reward myself with a few minutes of reading or blogging during his next nap.  Choices.  A house in chaos, my spirit in order or my spirit in chaos and the house in order?  That is what it boils down to each day.

On hazy-post-teething-nights-where-the-baby-woke-up-every-hour days, I wander around the house in fast forward, foggily trying to focus on one chore.  I fool myself that I'm multitasking, but in reality I'm just pushing piles and priorities around.

But how did I take that photograph of Levi napping?  Okay, I confess.  On some superb sunny days when the house is magically in order and my spirits are in order, I am able to sit down and savor the day's sweet spot: Levi's nap.

What is your sweet spot in each day?