It worked.

I've gotten quite used to be alone with the kids all day. We have a rhthym to our day and in general, every thing is fairly smooth. The one thing I couldn't figure out was the second nap. The problem: Parker sleeps for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours and the girls sleep about 1 to 1/2 hours. Ideally The girls would get up around 3 and parker no later than 4. And even more ideally, I would maximize my alone time. What I have been doing is putting the girls down and then putting Parker down as they girls require almost no assistance following asleep and Parker requires books and a bit of lying down with him. This means that the girls wake up before parker usually about 40-60 minutes after I put Parker down.

I was chatting about this dilemna with a mom at the park the other day (she has an 11 month old and a 2 1/2 year old too and remembered me from the first time I took all three kids to that same park about 10 months ago.) She suggested, I just deal with him and let them play on the floor. I told her it would be too crazy and Parker would get distracted with all the commotion. But...I tried it today. It worked.

The girls played in the semi-baby proofed living room and kitchen while I read books to Parker downstairs with the door open so I could hear or see any issues. Four short books and one quick 5 minute countdown later, I left Parker and then tended to the gals, who were ready for their nap by then.

And now, if all goes well, I should have at least an hour and a half to myself have lunch, do some Fetch work, fold some laundry, prepare for my meeting with Kirsten and Shayna later today, and relax.

It ain't much, but I'll take it!