Fatherhood Chronicles: Part 2-Naps-

Naps. Something I thought going into this was a given. Babies nap. That’s just what they do. At 3months, which Rocco is, all they do is eat, poop/pee, and sleep. Well lucky for Eizabeth and I we created the only newborn that doesn’t want or like sleep.

In saying that he sleeps really well at night. He will go to bed at 8pm and only wake up once to eat, but as soon as 7am rolls around he is up all day. 

Rocco will take cat naps. Two to three 10-15 minute naps. That’s about it.

Now, a 3month old who doesn’t take a nap, entertaining them for 9 hours is tough, but trying to get him to sleep when he doesn’t want to is a battle that goes 12 rounds every day with the judges giving the unanimous decision to Rocco every time. 

I honestly think he does it on purpose. We will be sitting in the chair, he’s eyes are about to close. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Then. Bam. Roccos eyes are wide open and he gives me a smile. Now, not a happy smile. It’s more of a “smirk”. A “hahaha Dad, jokes on you”. I see that smerk twenty times a day. 

There is an art to transitioning a baby from you to the crib. It’s an art form I am yet to master. As I walk into his room ever so slightly. Making sure I walk around the mat on his floor. We have a play mat in the middle of the room and when he is sleeping and we walk on it we might as well start playing the drums while dancing on broken glass, it’s loud. Loud in a sense it makes noise and for some reason when you’re carrying a sleeping baby everything you do is amplified. Walking, talking, opening a door, sitting on the couch. Now that I am around the mat I come across something I had no idea would be a problem for me. I know dunking a basketball, reaching for things on the top shelf, seeing a concert while standing in the crowd, playing the net in volleyball would all be struggles due to my height. What I didn’t  realize was setting a baby in a crib would be added to the list. Lifting Rocco over the railing and setting him in the crib while keeping him as close to me as possible is a challenge, at least for the crib we purchased. 

Masters of this craft make the transition look so seamless and easy. Me, I might as well just chuck him in there and call it a day.  Its not smooth at all. 

If all the stars align and he is still asleep, it last about 5min. I come in to check on him. Roccos eyes open up and there is that smirk. “Not today Dad. Not today” 

Rocco - 1

Brandon - 0