To Sleep or Not To Sleep

I don't know about you, but I love that moment in the day when all the kids are in bed and I can climb into my bed, pull the covers over my head and go to sleep. Granted it's sometimes hard to tune out the noise of the TV, the crackling baby monitor and my 3 year old whom doesn't require much sleep. I need a drink of water. I need to go potty. I'm scared, I heard a noise. I saw a moth - come get it. I didn't give you a kiss or hug. Call it what you will, but this child hit the age of "throwing oneself out of the crib", was moved into a big girl bed, and hasn't really slept much since. Did I mention that she was 18 months at the time? I tried gating her in her room and she climbed that too! It was then that I lost my ability as a parent to enforce nap. If I tried to get her to nap it usually resulted in a 3hr battle - ending in no nap. If I avoided the whole nap battle, it usually resulted in a little girl nodding off while eating dinner. I'm pretty sure we thought she was narcoleptic at one point. In fact, she goes from awake and active to passed out. She doesnt seem to have an "about to fall asleep" phase. The best part is this: when she DID nap it usually resulted in a delayed bedtime! She would get her second wind and stay up for hours past us adults! Seriously, the kid "needs" her sleep, but doesn't seem to require it. Now she is 3.5 and will nap on occasion, but that typically means the whole house will be kept up way too late. Here are some rare napping moments. Notice that NONE are in her bed!


Dayton has always been a pretty good napper. If we skipped nap, it usually meant he would fall asleep somewhere.


This was after nap - he came out of his room and fell asleep a bit longer. Too cute.


And a human sized Dora always helped him sleep.


Perhaps Dora was magic. This is actually Saige passed out.


I remember this nap battle. She is just outside her doorway. It appears as though I won.


These chairs do recline.


I got pushed out of my own bed.


Refusing to sleep in her bed. Obviously waiting for an important call.


A back rub from brother helped with this nap - even though he used his feet.


A cold travertine floor instead of the sofa beside her and pillow behind her. Seriously.


Kicked out of my bed again. I bet this was a Saturday morning at 6am.


Who falls asleep on the way TO the beach? Saige.


Again in the chair that reclines. But chooses to sleep on the arm.


Notice adult bed with no adults. Probably a Sunday morning at 5am.


Sweet brother holding her hand.


Not reclined recliner again.


Apparently a very tough day at preschool.


Is she crying? Hiding? Counting? Nope - she's sleeping in the middle of the cold travertine floor again.
Thank goodness for preschool - they are able to get her to nap every single day. I just have to deal with her staying up 2 hours past bedtime.