Nap Time, How I Miss Thee . . .

(Jen at Amazing Trips, you might not want to read this . . .)

It had to happen sooner or later. I usually prefer later, but because we don't have room for two full size cribs, the twins have been sleeping in pack-n-play portacribs for two and a half years. When their heads touched one end of their portacribs and their feet touched the other, I knew it was time for the inevitable. Big kid beds.

Yes, it was time to add two more sets of regular sized sheets and quilts to rotate and wash. It was time to figure out how the heck we were going to fit two beds (bunk beds are out of the question for my two year olds!), or even one full sized bed, into their dinky, office sized bedroom. And, what concerned me the most, it was time to take down the physical barriers that kept them playing quietly in their beds until they dozed dreamily off to sleep.

My brain worked overtime to figure out how to fit the beds in and not add any more laundry than possible to my regimen. I found a daybed with a trundle (that came with two mattresses all for 100 bucks through the classifieds) and, since they are still small after all, I put them in the same bed. We'll save the trouble of pulling out the trundle and washing a seventh set of sheets for later. Tim has his head at one end, Tab has her head at the other, and if they lay out perfectly straight (which they never do) they could play footsies all night long.

Actually, I think it would be great if they played footsies, 'cause if they did, it would mean they were in their bed! Nap time has become a nightmare. No, it has become a fleeting dream. No matter what I try I cannot convince them that 2:00 is a great time to go to sleep. They insist that it is time to jump on the bed, play with the blinds, explore their closet and try to tip each other off of the rocker. All while giggling hysterically.

Tim does not correlate the fact that no nap=falling asleep in his plate at dinner. Tabitha can not make the connection between not taking a nap and the number of fits thrown (her's, Tim's, and mine) between five and eight o'clock. The upside of no nap is I can easily put them to bed an hour early without guilt. They are so tired they stay in their bed and fall asleep quickly. It gives me a little more freedom to help the big kids with their homework and evening jobs.

So nap time has been replaced with instructions to "Stay in your room and play with toys for a while, okay?" As long as they believe they are not restricted to their bed they will play calmly for about an hour, just long enough for me to recharge my brain. Or, if I really need a break, I resort to the electronic babysitter. Pooh Bear and Barney do a great job of keeping them put on the couch, and if I'm lucky, they'll even put the kids to sleep.