While we have totally lucked out when it comes to Lucy sleeping through the night, we’re on the other edge of that sword when it comes to her taking naps during the day. I’m lucky to get a half hour out of her with ones of equal or lesser value throughout the day. She’s usually sleepiest after eating–something else she might get from me–so I’ll offer a pacifier when she dozes off on the bottle and either lay her down next to me on the couch or more likely in her crib.

In a scene probably familiar with most parents, I carefully lay her down and do that hopeful yet hesitant thing all parents do when they want their darling child to just lay down and give them a few moments of peace. Er, I mean, get some rest so they can tackle the day. Sometimes she’ll go out right away, while others I know deep down it’s not going to work, but try anyway. Those usually result in squirming “I’M AWAKE!” sounds screeching over the baby monitor.

I like keeping her nearby, hence the couch nap spot. I can keep an eye on her and also help if she spits her pacifier out while sleeping. Sometimes that lack of of a pacifier is what winds up waking her up. So, if I can stand watch a little bit, then I can, in theory, help the nap last a little longer. There are a pair of obvious problems with this set up, though. First, she could roll off the couch. Now, she doesn’t roll quite yet, so it’s not as much a problem just yet, but it will be. I’m pretty much stuck in my seat when she naps out here. The second problem is that I have to keep the noise down to some extent. I don’t want to turn on an old episode of Doctor Who that winds up waking her up. Sometimes I’ll transfer her, but that’s a tricky operation.

So, the best option is laying her down in the crib in her bedroom with the baby monitor on. With her in baby jail, there’s no worry of rolling out. The negative here is that she can easily wake herself up with a stray hand to the face or lack of pacification. I try to run in when I hear her stirring, but by then the damage has usually been done and I’ve got a baby giving me eyes in an effort to break out. It always works. I’ve thought about swaddling her for naps, but also don’t want her to always have to be tied up like a mental patient to fall asleep.

At this very moment, I’m using an idea that my buddy Justin recommended in the comments to the post I linked above. He said we should get a white noise machine. I’ve heard these things work quite well and have even used TV static once or twice to help put her to sleep, but the TV actually shut itself off and told me that I wasn’t on an actual station, damn things are getting too smart. Instead of buying a machine, though, I instead found a website called SimplyNoise that plays a few versions right off their site. You can also buy apps and whatnot that can be downloaded as well as sound files, but I’m going to see if this works first before I buy anything.

Lucy’s lying on the couch next to me on a blanket with a pacifier in her mouth and looking out through slits in her eyes, as if she’s challenging sleep or maybe me to do something worth staying awake for. I’m not sure if the white noise is helping or not. Today’s not really the best day to test a new theory because she’s had a helluva bad day with gas and crankiness. There goes the pacifier, but she finally looks like she’s out. Let’s hope this one sticks for a while.