The Beginning of the End

As I sit here writing this blog entry my newly turned 3-year old is sitting across from me on the couch, eating a bowl of pretzels and watching Curious George.

Here is the problem with this picture...As I sit here writing this blog my newly turned 3-year old is supposed to be NAPPING.

Not so much. Not today. Not at all.

I was hoping to not see this day until, well, maybe about two weeks before kindergarten started...then maybe I'd help her wean off her naps.

But the inevitable is starting to happen. I think this is the third or fourth time in the last 3 weeks when she just didn't sleep. Today we got home from the park, I put Ella to bed and was so tired (I've been staying up WAY to late lately) that my dear husband agreed to put Ava down for her nap since he was working from home.

I heard them read books and chatter a bit and then I was in and out of a nap for the next 45-minutes. When I woke up I still heard her chattering away in her room. Happily. Daddy. Mommy. La, la, la, la, la.


I sat up on the edge of my bed, not wanting to move to quickly for fear of her hearing me and then it got quiet. I listened. All was very quiet. Then, all of a sudden I watched from my room as her door slowly opened and there she stood.

"Hi Mommy!" Huge grin.

"Hi Ava."

"Why are you awake?" she asked.

"I just woke up from a nap. Why are you awake?"

She shrugged her shoulders and smiled. A huge, gap toothed, hard to resist smile.

I just laughed. She laughed, ran towards me, and gave me a hug.

I brought her downstairs and told her I had a bit of work to do, so here we sit.

I'd insist on a nap if I could. The thing is she is 3-- I'm pretty sure this is the age where they start to give up naps naturally (although I personally cannot imagine a day without a nap these days!!), and she did in fact spend a good 45 min. to an hour of relative quiet time in her room and is sitting sweetly right now watching an episode of Curious George. I think that's as good as it gets! She is not the least bit tired or crabby!

So...we'll put her to bed earlier tonight, which will be nice since she hasn't  been falling to sleep until about 10 p.m lately and we'll enjoy a bit more peace in our evening.

I have a feeling she'll still take naps most days for a while. Maybe it was part natural, part the orange Hi-C I let her have against my better judgement when we went out for lunch this afternoon!

But really, is this the face of a tired child?

Sadly, I think not.

She just yelled, "Look at me!" and posed for this delightful picture.

I think that's her way of saying, "Put the computer down mom. It's time to pay some attention to ME!"