recipe for a nap

Tulip loves her naps, but they don't just happen...a precise chain of events lead to the perfect sleep.  She's like her Momma - the cozy level has to be JUST RIGHT for sleepy eyes to stay closed.

She's a bouncer....the more the better.  One day a wise friend suggested that we use the exercise ball to get a burp out of Tulip...she's been addicted ever since.  So, when she gets sleepy, we get the paci and the exercise ball and begin the nap time routine.

On more than one ocassion, Momma has prematurely stopped the bouncing, which results in eyes that pop wide open and a little squeal that tells me it just wasn't enough.  But I'm learning what makes this little Tulip tick and what I've found is that when the feet go limp, she's safely tucked into dreamland.

Success!  Just a few more light bounces to make sure we seal the deal.

And what comes next?  The prayer that Paul prayed for the church at Ephesus...the same one that I pray over my girls as often as I think of it:

"I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.  Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."  Ephesians 3:14-21

Love, love, love the part about being able to grasp how wide, long, high and deep His love is....I'm reaching and I hope my kids are, too.

Of course, since my girl is a bouncer, she doesn't want to cuddle calmly on the couch for too long.  So, I smell her hair, kiss her cheek and off we go!  Again, she's like her Momma...so I get out my list and check things off with Tulip in tow.  :)