Max's Proudest Moment

Max still naps. At 3.5 years old, he naps because we tell him he has to nap everyday. We also tell him he has to go to sleep EVERY night, despite his request he be able to stay up all day and all night every day. Max did not inherit my former ability to sleep anytime, anywhere for a gorgeous amount of hours. (I no longer have this ability and yearn for its return.) Max, unfortunately, has inherited his father's inability to sleep for very long. Max averages about 9 hours of sleep per night...with or without a nap...believe me, we have tested dropping the nap in the hopes he will sleep longer at night and it is a no go...at least for now. So, unless we force the nap, the guy is on 9 hours of sleep per day.

Anyway, we have told Max (and it is the truth) that he must sleep to grow up. As with the young, they long to be older, bigger, etc. and Max is no different. So, Max's best moment visiting Disney was the moment he stepped up to the measuring stick for the rollercoaster and was tall enough to ride the Barnstormer at Magic Kingdom. The sheer glee in his face, the biggest smile, the loudest cheer, the biggest jump in the air...that was Max in this moment. He measured himself several times and could not stop exclaiming "I'm tall enough, I'm tall enough" to ride the rollercoaster.

We are so happy we can continue to use the "tall enough" proud moment as further reinforcement for sleep to answer the repeated and daily question "but why do I have to sleep EVERYDAY, mama?".

He looks horrified below, but confirmed "I was scared, Daddy, but I loved it!"