Missing: One Nap. Last Seen February 18. REWARD

We are on day 3 of no naps on purpose.

I can't tell if it is a good decision or a mistake. Yes they are in bed asleep by 8pm which is something that has not happened for about 5 months. There is less fighting, less threatening them to be quiet and go to sleep or they would lose a privilege or a toy or all their blankets (we were desperate). There is less of a struggle to get them to do each step of the bedtime routine. They go straight to sleep without talking, without the endless requests for rocking or water or me sitting on the sofa.

But there are also two fewer hours during the daylight for me to do what I need to do without disaster ensuing because I am not paying complete attention to both girls. Our house is a WRECK. It is always cluttered but without the quick pickup I do every day while they nap, it is really really bad. And since me picking up anything while they are awake and inside is an automatic cue for them to take out and play with that exact item I just put away, I have sort of given up. I try to pick things up in secret, but then I look up at the clock and lunch is late because all I have been doing since breakfast is trying to pick things up and put them away without them noticing.

I also sort of miss their little negotiating and requesting me to rock them. I feel like they are growing up. All of a sudden they don't take naps anymore? I thought this would happen when they were 5. I liked hearing their little conversations over the monitor. They were supposed to be sleeping, but it was quite entertaining to hear the stream of consciousness spewing out of them in the pitch black dark of their room.

The dog, who usually naps in their room with them while they nap, or who gets a quick ten minutes of ball throwing in the yard while they nap is beside himself. He peed on the floor when my sister came over- something he has not done in months.

I feel the same way. It is 8pm, I have the whole night to myself to do whatever I want. But for the third night in a row all I want to do is curl up in the fetal position and sleep for the rest of the night. I am usually a night owl, but I am beyond tired. A solid 13 hours of occupying two three-year-olds with no break is suddenly seeming impossible. Throw in the dog and David's travel schedule which is picking up again, and I might just pee on the floor myself!

To Do: Find someone who can train my kids to pick up the clutter and exercise the dog while I nap. I don't even mind if they catch up on emails or read quietly when they are done. Bonus if they could print out a new recipe for dinner and plan the afternoon errands. Is there a Cesar Milan for toddlers?