Establishing a bedtime for Noah was a really good idea. While I’m not a stickler about it – some nights, he goes to sleep at 11:30 because he just wants to play – I do try to aim for 10:30 at the latest and he’s usually out by 9:30 or 10. He wakes up, every morning, by 9:30 (10-10:30 on the later nights) whether I want to get up or not. Some mornings, like this past Sunday, he’ll snuggle me and go back to sleep so I can sleep in a little longer (yep, totally blessed).

It’s really made a difference in our life. This semblance of structure makes it easier to eat well, clean, go out, spend time together…whatever. I don’t have to wonder if I’ll be up before noon the next week – I know I will.

I also find that Noah is happier and gets better rest when he sleeps in the same time frame every night. He wakes up cooing and playing and smiling and just so, so affectionate. It’s so sweet, in the morning, to reach my hand down and have him grasp it so we can walk to the playroom together. The feel of his hand in mine is so unique and different and heartwarming. He does this at other times, too, but somehow, in the morning, it seems like we’re on a special Mommy-Son frequency, communicating to each other by little acts of love, like hand holding or kisses or even pouring a drink into his sippy cup.

Being a mother is so wonderful.

(Now if only I could figure out how to make myself sleep by midnight and how to make his naps a little more consistent…)