Jogging and Napping

So Harper hasn't been a regular napper since she turned 2, and hasn't napped at all since about October.  It's one of the biggest regrets I have, taking away her pacifier because I think it started it all.  She seems so tired at night, she barely makes it through the evening without melting down.  But lately, she has been so tired that any sort of mechanism that makes her stop moving and be quiet long enough and she will fall asleep.  A few times in the car and lately, in the jogging stroller.  So now when I want to go jogging, I get excited knowing that there is a possibility of her napping.  Even just for 30 minutes to an hour.  Because this changes our whole evening.  Suddenly it's fun, and we play all night, and there is laughter instead of tears.  There is also a much later bedtime because she has to make up for sleeping in not sleeping, but we take what we can get.  

I've tried to get back into running.  It's been much harder than usual.  The roads that I run on here in the back country are pretty hilly and full of big holes and gravel.  Plus, pushing a 30 lb toddler in a 10 lb stroller makes for more effort.  But I know that it's good for me, so I keep at it.  One run, as I neared my halfway point, the herd of cattle followed me up and down their pasture fence.  Not sure if they thought I was bringing food or what, but they were very curious as to what I was doing.  That day, Harper fell asleep and slept for an extra 30 minutes in her stroller camped out in her room.  It was a good day.

We had a date to meet a friend in Sherman and do some shopping and I promised Harper we could play at Chick Fil A afterwards.  Somehow all of our errands ended up being later and longer than expected and it was 2pm and we were still at Chick Fil A.  So instead of rushing home to not nap, we stopped by Cody's school and surprised him.  We hung out for a bit and then headed home around 3.  She of course fell asleep in the car and I just decided to let her keep sleeping.  I read a book on my phone and tried to keep the world as quiet as possible.  Cody ended up getting home and heading inside before she woke, but it was still worth it.  She was exhausted and that nap was necessary.