Upon Awakening

I had to wake Riley up from his second nap more than once last week.

This is because the boy has been insisting on talking to himself in his crib for more than an hour after I put him down.

Then just when I am about to give up (even though he hasn’t slept a wink but because it’s approaching dinnertime), he suddenly falls silent.

This means all he gets is a tiny little power nap before I’m forced to go in and rouse him.

He usually wakes up from naps on his own, sometimes crabby but most of the time just chattering to himself, waiting for me to come in and get him.

But on this particular day, he was in a deep sleep, and it’s never good to be awakened out of that.

He usually cries really hard when I have to wake him up, and this day was no different.

I think, because he wakes up so suddenly, he gets really confused at first as to where he is and what’s going on.

But it rarely takes him too long to calm down and be happy again.

All it usually takes is for him to spot one of his toys laying on the floor, or Jem walking through, or a favorite book on his bookshelf.

And before you know it, I’m wiping his tears away and welcoming that smiling face back.

Riley-bean, you make me smile.