Great Lengths

I just finished what has become Allen's naptime ritual:  a daily head and back massage administered by myself. 

Yes, I give my almost three year old son his very own deluxe spa treatment in order that I might get A Moment of Peace a day.

Desperate Times, Desperate Measures, blah blah.

Don't get me wrong.  I let him play, then fuss, play some more, fuss some more and then I inevitably throw in the towel. 

yup, he's got me wrapped around his little finger and has since I saw his little dimples on Day One.

Day One! So buttery!

at least he falls asleep relatively easily in the stroller/car.

Almost every single day, I find myself stomping up the stairs, Moore scowl on my face (I always said I would never have botox but seriously reconsidering at the moment), headed in the direction of Allen's room.

He sees me come in the door, literally drops his little choo choo trains crashing to the floor, flings himself on his belly on his bed and he pulls up his own shirt and places my hand on his back so I can begin his massage.  If I take too much time, he has the nerve to yell "Mama!! Rub Ann!"  (yup he calls himself "Ann" due to being challenged in the L department of the English language) and proceeds to grunts loudly until I do it.

It takes anywhere between one minute and thirty minutes but he almost always falls asleep.  But I am so desperate so I will sit there and rub the little prince for as long as it takes.  

I go to great lengths. 

My thoughts when I see his little eyes close:  THANK YOU LORD.  (while feeling a little bit guilty and also a little bit like a sucker for falling for his little routine once again).

(In the spirit of blogging honestly, the truth is that this is very similar to my Very Own Bedtime Ritual: Basically, I fuss until Colin gets into bed and I put my pillow on his lap so I can have my very own head/back rub while we read/ watch T.V. until I doze off..)

Anyway, it is actually pretty sweet just staring at my son's face, feeling his little buttery skin and his soft breathing but just once it would be nice if he would fall asleep on his own, instead of on his own terms.


But I have a feeling it is too late for that. 

Lucky me ;-)