Yesterday, amongst other regular Monday chores and things, I ran a bunch of errands in the oppressive heat that arrived all of a sudden… by the time I’d picked up my Little from preschool and got indoors again, I was completely wiped.
Ava Scarlett quickly got settled down in the TV room for “rest time” since she’s stopped napping altogether lately. (Most days, that is.) Sometimes, if left unattended, I’ll find around 4:30 PM looking something like this:
Yeah. That’s always full of suck.
Yesterday, she was adamant that she didn’t want to sleep. (It’s actually better for bedtime if she doesn’t) so I gave her some juice and a snack, and decided I’d just close my eyes on the kitchen couch for about 20 minutes, before my son got home from school.
Well.
I did shut my eyes. And about 14 seconds later, I heard Madame’s little feet padding down the hallway. She came to see me. She whispers in my ear in that deafening way only kids can.
She: Mummy? Are you sleeping?
Me: Yes.
She: Oh. Well, I going to make a pee-pee.
Me: Okay, thanks for telling me.
I close my eyes again. But of course, I open them about sixty-five second later. She calls me.
She: Mummy? Can you please wipe my buuuuuum?
Me: *Groans* Yes, I’m coming.
I empty the gross potty, and we wash hands. I pat her on the head, and go back to the couch. A quick glance at the clock tells me I have about 15 minutes left to to r-e-l-a-x.
I try to clear my mind and make myself still. You have fourteen and a half minutes left so just hurry up and chill out, Tracey… Take deep breaths. Lower heart rate. Slowly…
But, the little feet return.
She: Mummy? Do we have any stickers?
Me: Yes. In the white drawers where they always are.
She: Okay. But I don’t stick them on the table.
Me: Or on the walls, please. Or the couch. Paper only, miss!
She: Okay.
She scampers away. I resist looking at the clock and close my eyes, but my mental calculation says I’ve probably got just over thirteen minutes to be all quiet.
But then she’s back.
She: *whispers warm breath into my ear* Maaaw-meee?
Me: *exasperated and trying not to show it* Yes, my love.
She: Uh, can I have a nap with you?
She is already wiggling her tiny butt onto the couch next to me. She’s brought her pink blanket with her, and it smells like ratty ol’ blankie and of girl child. She snakes a scrawny arm under my neck.
Me: No. No way. OW! There’s not enough room for you, child!
She is giggling, and moving closer, bashing me in the head with her own, and elbowing me in the ribs with her three-year-old self. Ack.
Me: Stop! I command you!!
She: There’s ROOM, mummy! I very smaaaall!
Me: You’re not small at all! You’re gigantic!! Uch, I can’t even nap in peace…
Shrieks of laughter. She’s a terribly cute child sometimes.
She: Issokay, mummy. Jus’ close you eyes.
Oh, sure. Simple for her, maybe. And it was, too – I felt her weight get heavier and heavier with every exhale, and she was fast asleep next to me on the narrow two-seater couch before I could say off with your head. There was no way I could doze with her extra weight and her stinky blanket on me, so I finally just got up and gave her the couch. I wasn’t even that gentle – the child sleeps like a brick. It took me forever trying to wake her after an hour.
Kids. *shakes head, mildly amused.*
Napping mid-day used to be easier. I must be wicked. I reckon I’ll get enough sleep when I’m dead. (Heh.)
Do you ever power-nap? Does it ever work? How do you DO it? Share your tricks…
oh yes and when I can take 15 I wear a sleep mask for complete black out BUT as anyone over 40 can attest – afterwards people think I have been snorkling…………….
I love a naughty little nap- but rare it is
get an egg timer turn it on and say “unless the cat’s tail is on fire do not wake mama from nap until it goes off”
I promise you it works
start a sticker chart and give her a sticker for every quiet time she gives you
you can pay me later
That scene brings back flashbacks Tracey!
But nothing is more delicious to me than a sleeping baby and toddler..It makes me yawn and hum Ziggy Marley’s I Love You Too song.
Adorable,
Id
You have a kitchen couch?!?!?!
I certainly CAN nap, but then I’m OUT for two hours and wake up useless and groggy, so I don’t usually. Instead, a couple of times a week, I pass out when tucking in my kids and wake up in their room in the middle of the night to catch up a bit of sleep. Like last night.
I’ve never been able to power nap. I only do 2 hour naps with a good half hour at the start just to fall asleep. I miss those days when I had just the one and could curl up with him during his nap! You know those blessed 2 or 3 weeks at 5 or 6 months when they are not trying to resist napping and they’re not too wriggly yet that you worry about them waking up and crawling off the bed? Ahhh, good times. Good times.
I am a big believer in the power of nap! on the days i don’t work, i often try to snooze for 30 mins in the afternoon – it gives me a boost for the rest of the day. i follow the power nap with a hot cuppa tea before my little one wakes up from her snooze, and then we’re off to get the big kids from school. i used to have a lot of trouble getting to sleep (that was pre-kids). now i’m usually so exhausted that i just have to close my eyes and i fall right to sleep.
No humans around. Yes. I believe that must be the trick.
And alarm clocks are necessary… unless you have another Little ready to wake you upon arrival. Oy. (I love naps…)
yes, i power nap. My rule is to set an alarm for 20-25 min so i don’t fall into a deep sleep. I typically do this around 8-8:30pm on nights when i plan on going out until 3am. The trick is to turn off the ringer on your phone and not have any other humans around. Works for me everytime 😉