It has been a month since my last blog post.  I have found – like I hear from so many of my patients – that “I have no time.” My writing and  yoga practice have suffered as a result. For the past month Sophie has been on a “sleep strike” – few naps; difficult, drawn-out bedtimes; and multiple night wakings. It has been a humbling experience.   About two weeks into Sophie’s sleep strike, however, I stopped resenting myself for neglecting my writing and my exercise regime and I accepted that just “doing the best I can” was enough.  I did not need to be “perfect,” balancing Sophie’s sleeping with my yoga, jogging, blogging and book-writing. I stopped judging my lack of “productivity” and self-care and I surrendered to the present. I came to realize that self-love and being present for my family were as essential as anything to good parenting.

Two weeks ago we went to Ojai for a friend’s wedding. Sophie, Kirk, our good friend Mike and I went lavender picking. Sophie was let loose among the lavender bushes and the bees, her floppy white sunhat was all of her I could see as she meandered between the rows of fragrant, purple flowers.  I think the sedative, calming and soporific qualities of lavender permeated Sophie’s blood and bones because it wasn’t long after our return that she started sleeping a little better.  Yesterday was the first day in a month that Sophie took a nap during the day went down easily at night and slept through the night.