To Sleep or Not to Sleep?

So, before taking our big adventure to visit family Lauren was on this wonderful nap schedule. I was ultra excited because while I was working (prior to her being 6 months) she didn't have a nap schedule. I was okay with it, except on the weekends when the poor girl just was so excited for mommy and daddy to be home that she didn't want to sleep (this was a bit frustrating). Once I was done with work it didn't take her long to get into a routine of nursing at 9:30 and then off for morning nap. Then the same routine at 2:30. This worked for me and her, all was well...

Then we went on vacation. She spent a full day in the car on the way up and back and because of visiting and doing things she was getting only one nap a day in the pack-n-play and the other nap was usually in the car on the way some where or coming home from some place. It didn't take long before putting her down in the pack-n-play was a struggle. She would cry and carry on for sometimes close to an hour. I was struggling because she was so tired and just didn't want to give in. Then to top it off the naps would be pretty short. So the poor girl was exhausted and the more she didn't sleep the worse it got.

Since around three months she has had an evening routine and would go down at night like a champ. Two books, prayers, snuggles, and she would be down for the count. I was crying along with her as she would cry and carry for a half hour or more at night too.

I just kept my eyes on that we would be back into a routine once we got home. Yesterday went well, but she again didn't sleep nearly long enough and we had to put her down an hour early for bed because she was just spent.

So today we had our fun mommy/daughter grocery shopping adventures. We got home at 9:30, I nursed, and she went down wonderfully. But she was up in like forty-five minutes. She needed more like an hour and a half to two hours. So by 1:30 she was again showing signs that a nap was needed. I put her in her crib at 1:40 and she cried and screamed for almost an hour. It was killing me. I had to call Matt at work so he could talk me though it on two separate occasions.

So then I'm thinking to myself she went down at 2:30, so maybe I was jumping the gun and she wasn't ready at 1:40. I feel like I second guess myself all the time. Thankfully she is still sleeping and it is now 3:45 so she getting the rest she so desperately needs and wants.

I'm just praying for her to wake rested and refreshed so maybe tomorrow we might be back on schedule (wishful thinking- because now she's crying).

"Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy." James 5:10-11