naps naps no naps

Frances is three and a half and most kids have given up naps by now. Both kids have been great sleepers--I've been fortunate that way--and until just recently her nap was consistently two hours and Clark's was three. (He'd sleep from 1-4 and she'd sleep from 2-4 without fail.) But now she's thinking about giving up her nap and it's not going fabulously.

Most days I can convince her to lie down with me. She says she's not tired, does not want a nap, but once we lie down she's out right away: her open eyes blinking for longer and longer, then opening halfway, drowsing, until they close and her breathing lengthens. It takes all of three minutes. Last night, though, she kept coming downstairs and at 9:20 was still asking for bubblegum, asking why bugs bite, asking to play a game.

So today I didn't have her nap. Mostly the day went well, until bathtime. She hates baths, hates water in her face, hates to have her hair washed, thinks getting any scab or sore or bandaid wet is going to cause her tremendous intolerable pain. Mitch and I, in fact, talked last week about how we shouldn't do baths on days she hasn't napped. Forgot about that.

I don't know how long she's going to be in this middle stage--napping maybe four of five days--but I hear giving up the nap can be pretty excruciating for everyone. Sigh.

At the same time Clark has cut his nap from three to two hours. That's no big deal, though. It doesn't seem to affect his disposition, only means a little less Clark-free time for me, which is okay. I am behind on the ironing, however.