Thursday, July 13, 2006

First Sign of the Apocalypse?


....at least, it's the first sign of my own PERSONAL apocalypse.

The thing I've been dreading most is starting to happen. I always thought this day would never come, that this would never happen to me.
I was so wrong.

Elizabeth is trying to give up naps. I know, I know, I'm shrieking inside too.

Ever since my mom told me that I had completely given up napping by 15 months, I have been living in complete dread of the day that my sweet napping angel would decide that sleeping at night is plenty for her and no thank you mom, I don't want a nap.

Actually it's more like:

"NOOOOOOOO bed! NO no NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!!!! I don't think so! I don't wanna nap! No sleeeeeeeeeeep!!!!!!! NO NO NO NO!"

Punctuated by pounding on the door and kicking against the floor and banging her head into the wall.
Ad nauseum. And pitchy.

The last two afternoons Elizabeth took no nap. The day before that she fell asleep at 3 pm watching TV in a dark cold room, so it was totally a trick on my part.
Last night, despite having had no nap, she was downright pleasant to be around and eventually passed out at no later than 7:45 pm, which was nice. Usually it's a fight to get her in bed by 9.

Still, even though we had an easy bedtime last night, I'm still very afraid of the total crazy, pea-soup vomiting, devil-possessed, shrieking, nightmare of a child that she has the tendency to become at oh say 4 pm on a day during which she has had no nap.
My goodness, I have just one half hour left of relative calm before the squall that is Elizabeth gets ready to unleash on me.

I better go lay down.

6 comments:

Jessica said...

PS...she is sitting on the living room floor right now talking to her fruit snacks.

"I'm awake right now, I'm still awake!"

Argh!!!

Bern said...

When she turns 30, she'll regret giving up all those naps and realize that naps are a treat!!
Oh how I wish I was 3 again.

eaf said...

Amen, Bernie! I totally wonder how I could have refused to take a nap. Or refused an early bedtime for that matter.

Jessica said...

I'm not a great napper (and apparently, I never have been) but if I'm really tired, I'll take a nap.
I don't understand how REALLY REALLY tired children not only decline a nap, but VIOLENTLY decline...at least they sap their last bits of energy during the crazy anti-nap tantrum and eventually pass out in a heap on the floor.

Freebird said...

She's afraid she's going to miss out on something. What I'm not sure of. Maybe Louie catching another rat.

Jessica said...

Ew.
Ew.

We've got that cat door blocked now so they can't come in and they are having to go through individual inspections to come into the house. No more rats for me, thanks.