Mid-Novelmber

I'm still in the middle of my novel in the middle of November. November is National Novel Writing Month (in case you didn't know), so I hope to do lots of writing this month in hot pursuit of my goal to finish my first draft by the new year. Being in the middle is tough. Although I can see the progess I've made to this point, I don't know exactly how far I have to go to reach the finish line. My novel keeps expanding along the way, but I guess this is one of those times when more is more. Better to have to cut back than add on during the editing process. I hope to have a productive Novelmber!

Nap Baby Nap!

I found the holy grail of motherhood - baby's afternoon nap in the crib.

You see, up until this past weekend I was letting Taylor nap while being held or carried or rocked. It seemed that there must be some other way, some way to have my hands free while Taylor took her nap. But each time I tried to put her in her crib, she woke in a tantrum as soon as her butt hit the baby mattress.

Determined to put Taylor on a loose schedule (not being a big fan of schedules myself), I decided it was time to try a crib nap in the afternoon. I let her cry for 10 minutes the first day before going in to rescue her and then added five minutes to the cry time each day. Well, on the fourth day, she fell asleep in the crib and slept for more than an hour (that was yesterday). And, right now, I'm watching her on the monitor sleeping in her L-shaped position. She went down for her nap at 4:30 with only a five minute fuss and it is now 6:15!!

I want to jump for joy! I've had almost two hours to sit in the solarium and write and talk on the phone and enjoy the turn of the day from dusk to night.

This is the best birthday present Taylor could give me.

Nap Baby Nap!