The Season of Naps

by Rumour Miller on October 26, 2012

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I wondered what the two littles and I would do today after I dropped Piper at school.  I dreamt of a lazy day in yoga pants and pajamas, snuggling on the couch watching movies…  And then I remembered I was a Mom and my two littles are 4 and 2.  There would be no lazy day of snuggling on the couch watching movies.  They don’t sit still that long.

I had a few things that I needed to pick up today so I figured that going to the mall early (so as to avoid the afternoon “I’m exhausted” meltdown) would be a great way to spend an otherwise dreary day.  I piled the two littles into the car and waited patiently as they tried (and eventually succeeded) buckling themselves into their car seats.  I wasn’t in a rush.

I bribed them with treats if they were on their best behaviour at the mall.  They asked if they could get a toy, I said no.  They finally agreed a small treat would suffice.  The mall was rather quiet but my little stroller was not.  I’ve been meaning to oil the squeaky wheel for about month now.  Even Davilyn said how annoying it was.  She was right.

We weren’t at the mall long.  Long enough to grab a few things that I needed, get them each a cookie and leave.  Quinn was starting to get tired and the stroller sitting was wearing on her.  I’d timed my departure perfectly because, well, she was done.  As we drove home, I stopped for my Pumpkin Spiced Latte at Starbucks and the littles went from tired to foolish in the blink of an eye.  It drives me batshit crazy when they start acting up, getting loud and poking at each other in the back seat.  I’m not gonna lie about that.  Then out of the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of them shaking their water bottles full of milk and when I turned around there was milk splattered all over the seats.

Kids should be illegal in cars while driving.  They are the worst driving distraction.  That’s a post for another day.

Needless to say, I became angry.  Quinn started whining and I decided right then and there that today would be a nap day (since she is in a phase of phasing out her naps).  We got home right at lunch time and when I asked the girls what they wanted for lunch neither of them knew but they knew that they didn’t want anything that I suggested.  Quinn didn’t even make it through lunch.  The tiredness was taking over and she threw her little body to the floor in protest.  I’m not sure what she was protesting and I am sure she doesn’t quite know either.

Off to bed she went.

But she would not let herself settle down enough to drift into a sleep.  At least not right away.  She cried.  Told me to leave.  Told me to stay.  In the middle of what normally would be a very frustrating process for me, I decided that I was going to give that little 2.5 year old whatever she wanted.  I knew she just wanted me to lay with her.  Something that I don’t often do.  At least not any more. So I laid down beside her and watched her fight off the sleep.

She tossed and she turned.  She flipped and she flopped.  She reached out for me and she rubbed my arm.  Anything to keep herself awake.  I laid there remembering how I loved nap time.  For obvious reasons, like quiet time and me time.  But also because I have many fond memories of napping with each of my babies.  So instead of letting my mind wander to all the stuff waiting outside that bedroom door for me.  Stuff like laundry and dishes.  Stuff that could wait.  It could wait because the season of naps is almost over in my house and I don’t want to be standing at the end of this season wishing I had taken more time to lay with my babies.  This season will be over before I know it.

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