Schedules, schedules, schedules...

Ever since I became a mom, I have felt there is great importance to having a "schedule." Not only does it give the whole family predictability and stability, it helps us all function better! I'm not so stuck on schedules that I can't ever break away from it though. I think it's necessary to give it a break to go do something fun or for family gatherings. You can't just stay home so your kids can be in their routine. Life doesn't work that way so it's nice to teach flexibility.

As Gabby grew, she was always good about being in the groove but could miss a nap here and there or be put to bed a little late from time to time and the next day, life would resume as normal. It was so nice, I have great memories of taking off and doing fun stuff or staying outside and playing on nice afternoons and not worrying so much about naps.

Well........................Carson just does not and cannot seem to work that way. It's a tough thing for me. For example, last weekend was Mother's Day weekend. It's just not possible to NOT do anything on this weekend so on Saturday, we left in the afternoon, just in time for his nap, thinking he would nap on the way to mom and dad's. He did nap on the way for around 45 minutes. He was fine while we were there and then we got home and he was in bed about 30 minutes later than he normally is. The next morning, he was up earlier than usual and we all know this is not a good sign. After my breakfast in bed, (I'll blog about this later) we all got up and ready and left to head down to Alexandria to see Brad's mom. This is another 1 hour and 15 minute drive which isn't bad for us. We got down there and he of course did not get a nap, which is my fault as I just spaced it! We had a great day but to make a long story short, he did not sleep through the night again until Tuesday night. Three mornings in a row, I found him laying on the floor by my bedside, sleeping. He also fought naps on Monday and Tuesday.
Tuesday and Wednesday night, he slept all night and things were clicking again. By Thursday, I had to take him to speech in the afternoon and he fought a nap afterwards, again did not sleep well on Thursday night. And the story continues....
I just don't know what to do. I get so frustrated because when he's off schedule, he fights sleep at night and I'm putting him back in bed up to 3 or 4 times before he actually goes to sleep and then back up earlier than usual. Tonight it was almost 11:00 before he went to sleep and he napped from 2 to 3. I feel like I can't get a break and when his sleep is off, we see other signs that he's off too. More spinning, definitely more fussy and clingy, yadda, yadda, yadda.....
I can't just sit in this house and not go anywhere until he's older, life has to go on...so it does and I catch a nap when I can!