Because Paul was able to take a little over two weeks off work for Christmas vacation, today was his first day back at work.

Nathan and I missed him while he was gone.

When Nathan first got up this morning, he didn’t realize that his daddy would be gone all day. He was in such a wonderful mood… we spend time playing Peek-a-Boo and Pat-a-Cake, I helped him with his walking skills, and I even held him in my lap and snuggled with him while I watched a short television show.

He acted like he was on top of the world while he was in my lap. He would watch the tv for a few seconds, then he would turn and look at me, grinning from ear to ear while bouncing gleefully up and down, waving his arms exuberantly while drool dripped down his chin.

Everything was a peachy as a postcard’s sunny day until I put him down for a nap.

Well, putting him down for a nap itself wasn’t so bad. He was excited to lay under the mobile and I could hear him cooing happily as I quietly exited the room. The problem occurred when he WOKE UP from his nap.

He totally woke up on the wrong side of the crib.

He was angry, sleepy, pouty, and didn’t hesitate to let me know. He cried and cried for the remainder of the day, escalating to the point of me seriously contemplating yanking out my own hair in frustration. He didn’t want to be held. He didn’t want to be sang to. He didn’t even want to play with his Winnie the Pooh.

I think he missed his daddy.

Once Paul came home, Nathan was still ill-tempered until we put him to bed. Like magic, his tears dried, his angry wails ceased, and a huge smile lit his face.

I have a son who doesn’t like to nap, but who loves going to bed at night. He is not like any other baby I’ve ever known. Well, the fighting-the-naps isn’t a rarity, but the excitement about going to bed at night certainly is.

And the normalcy of Nathan Rising returns…

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