I promise a nap won't kill you

Oh the last two days have been pretty trying for me. Calan was doing so well napping perfectly and he was a rested and happy little guy. However, that was until he learned to pull himself up. Now, it seems all hell has broken loose in his crib and the last two days have been miserable trying to get him to nap.

I thought I was over the hump of nap issues. I was wrong. It feels like such a set back. I am sitting here listening to him cry and it is killing me. He was never a cry it out kind of kid. When we were having issues with naps in the past it was because he was just playing happily in his crib and just not napping. Well, that was then and this is now. He tends to play for a little while and then once he realizes that I'm not coming in to play with him, he starts to get pretty upset. I have tried soothing him. I have tried changing him. I have tried most everything, but what it boils down to is not giving up.

I hate feeling helpless and having to hear him cry. I know that this is just a phase, but can it be over soon? The last two days have been breaking my heart.

I am a strong believer that consistency beats anything, so I don't want to give into this. I don't want to go backward when we were moving forward. I want to maintain where we were at. So, what does that mean when it comes to Calan and me? It means that I, as the mom, decide when naps begin and when naps end. Calan might have times when he is pretty upset in there, but all of it is temporary. I have faith that as long as I give Calan what he needs (well fed, dry, and not overtired), he will eventually get back into the swing of things. For Calan, this probably means a few days of not being so happy, but it also means that he will once again nap. I truly believe this.

When he has himself fired up, I do try to calm him down, but each time I leave his room, crying begins again. I can't decide if going in is helping or hurting. I have tried both ways and both seem to have the same outcome. He cries and isn't napping.

As I write, he has finally fallen asleep after about an hour of playing in his crib and 40 minutes of fighting the nap. Not sure how long he will sleep, but I know that anything is better than nothing. I just hope tomorrow is not the same struggle. I am ready for a nap myself!