I am Mommy, Hear Me Snore (or... The Paci Chronicles, Part 3)

Miss M has finally stopped asking for her paci, except yesterday when my mom and I went to the grocery store with Miss M in tow. Riding in the cart (oh, the magic that grandmas can do!) down the cereal aisle, out of the blue, she says, "I need my paci." And of course, as only a grandma can do, my magic mama distracted her with something much more fascinating, and the idea of a paci once again vaporized into thin air.

I, however, long for the days of the paci.

I long for the days when naptime was between 1:30-2:00, and naps lasted for 2 or 3 hours. I long for the days when, once tucked in, little feet were not heard to pitter-patter around (and toys were not heard to crash) upstairs while I tried to get work done without interruption.

Ever since the paci was evicted from our home, Naptime packed his bags and left as well, with a grumpy scowl back in my direction on the way out the door.

It would not be honest of me to say that life is "crazier" than before. It's still just as hectic, but without the nice mid-day break. A four-and-a-half-year-old can, most days, find a quiet activity for an hour or so while Mom works and little sister naps. A two-year-old cannot. A four-and-a-half and two-year-old, together, are even less likely to be able to - somewhere in the negative, those chances.

So, while Miss M adjusts to life without the paci, Mom adjusts to a non-stop busy kind of day (as if there were really any other kind). And earlier bedtimes for us all.