Serenity of the Gods

It is possible to put baby down for a nap with too little forward motion, so that by the time she is about to touch the crib (or bed, as the case may be) she begins articulating her limbs in the universal signal for “don’t put me down.” It is also possible to put baby down for a nap with too much forward motion, so that the movement from shoulder to crib is too abrupt and the universal signal for “pick me up now” gets flashed in the form of baby rising to her knees (or some such). The perfect, Zen putting down of baby for a nap requires at least a temporary death of the ego on the part of whoever is putting her in the crib. Total commitment to the action. Then, and only then, will she sleep, and then, and only then, can daddy taste the serenity of the gods, however briefly.