Nap Time

About a month ago Zoe and Zane decided that a nap every other day was enough for them. Today they may have started their quest to spread that to every third day. As I sit here at 6pm, listening to Zane cry that Zach paused 'Electric Company' to use the bathroom, I can tell you that they are struggling to make a convincing argument for me to allow them to skip any more naps. But the fit happening now is nothing compared to the events of earlier today...

First I need to take you back to Friday, when we decided it was time to move Zadie from our room and the bassinet to Zoe's room and her crib. This meant that we had to turn Zane's toddler bed back into a crib and move him to the bunk beds in Zach's room. This involves splitting apart two children that have literally slept together every day for the past two and a half years (plus 8 or so months in the womb). We expected some bumps.

Today's nap started with Zoe and Zane both laying in Zane's bed. We could not find Zane's pillow. In place of it I substituted a nice full sized, flannel covered pillow. Zach, Zadie and I went downstairs to start to build the fire breathing dragon that would play a vital part in the play we put on for Julie when she came home from work. After being down a few minutes, Zane came downstairs crying and holding out his finger. Turns out my pillow substitution had created some tension in Zane's bed. The best I could piece together was that Zane tried to take Zoe's pillow and she fought back, by trying to take a piece of Zane's finger, with her teeth. When I asked Zoe if she bit him, see gave me an emphatic and excited "YEAH", while smiling, bobbing her head and doing a little celebratory dance (She was very proud of maiming her brother). When I asked Zane if he tried to take her pillow he said, "no". I asked again, "Zane, did you try to take her pillow?" This time I got a pouted face, head hung low, "yes". I reprimanded them both (banged my head against the wall a few times), made them hug, say sorry and then I tucked them back into bed.

But, it wasn't long before tempers flared again upstairs. It sounded like two fighters sparring before the big fight. By the time I could make it upstairs they were both at the top, heading down to find me and plead their respective cases. I decided it was time to split them up. I told Zoe to go to her room and Zane to his. They both said "no". Zane wanted to go to Zoe's room and vice-versa. Fine. I put them in bed and started to again head downstairs to rescue Zach from a now screaming Zadie.

This is when the games of petty theft and pugilism turned to a more age appropriate activity...tag, you're it. They were running back and forth between the rooms, having a grand old time. And wouldn't you know it, just as they start having the time of their young lives, mean old Dad's already paper thin patience disintegrates into a pile of goo on the floor. I am up the stairs in a flash. I lay Zane as gently as a lamb (if you are new to the concept of sarcasm, this is a great example of it) into Zoe's bed, threatening who knows what if his feet hit the floor again. I put Zoe back in Zane's bed with similar rants and warnings. As I pass back by where Zane is supposed to be laying down, I see that he has eluded the child lock, opened his door and was balancing himself on the edge of Zoe's bed frame, looking very proud of himself. I then utilized the only tool that we as society still have to keep toddlers from ruling the earth ... the baby gate. I put the gate in the doorway and walk away with smug smile, exaggeratedly wiping my hands, showing a job well done.

I checked on him after a few minutes and he looked so pitiful looking out over the gate, realizing that he had lost and I had won. I had won, I had a quiet house. Zach and I went about building our dragon, then ... I heard a strange sound. I determined that the it was the sound of an electric toothbrush ... coming from upstairs. As I rounded the corner of the stairs and peered into the bathroom I felt my victory was still in tact since it was only Zoe playing in the bathroom. The barricade set for Zane had held? As I entered the bathroom to collect Zoe and take her back to bed, I was suddenly face to face with an overjoyed Zane. Now I may be reading too much into his smug, almost sinister smile, but as he stood there, eye to eye with me, on the bathroom sink, I couldn't help but think he was trying to show me that he is on equal footing with me. That he was up to any challenge I may pose on his freedoms. Zane who has learned to escape a child proofed room by running head first into the knob, splitting the child lock in two, now he has escaped the baby gate. I am afraid to see might be next ... maybe he is smarter than me?

I know when I have been beaten ... But I live to fight another day. Tomorrow it is set to be in the 60's and sunny. I will have at my disposal my newest nap time weapon ... I call it "Trampoline".