Do I Have To?

Some of you might be familiar with the challenges of getting a young one to take a nap or go to bed for the night or stay asleep all night long.  We've had a fair share of struggles in all of those areas, and except for naps, Isaiah is a good sleeper.  But I suppose that if I had to choose between naps and sleeping through the night, well, I suppose I have the better of the two choices.  

Every once in a while Isaiah will surprise me and take a really good nap all on his own, but usually he resists naps like most people resist going to the dentist.  Lately his routine is to play on my emotions by wrapping his sweet little arms so tightly around my neck as I say the final words in our nap routine.  It's as though he's saying "Mama, I love you so much I just don't want to be away from you and if you lay me down then I won't see you and I wont' know what's going on and I just want to be with you"--He knows my weakness!  

So far I have been able to resist the temptation and continue to lay him down to rest.  I say rest rather than sleep on purpose, even though that might not be the most accurate term either.  Usually Isaiah will be in his bed talking or singing or playing with Luther (his stuffed turtle) for about 45 minutes, then Thomas or I will go in and lie down with him in our bed, and "poof" he's asleep.  He'll usually sleep then for at least an hour, sometimes almost two! (and it's nice for us to get a few moments of rest, too)

But then there's Sundays.  We have to leave for church right in the middle of Isaiah's nap.  This time it's my turn for the "do I have to?" as I look at him resting so peacefully and sweetly, yet knowing that I must wake him to get ready for church.  But tell me honestly, wouldn't it be hard for you to wake him up....