So off and on Coleman just won't take a nap no matter what I try and then by 5:00pm he is crying about everything and even more particular and stubborn about everything. But, the last few months he was back to taking one everyday again. Until Sunday came. So for three days now I have been battling him and he has been wining. AGGHHHH!
Here is how this afternoon went:
1:00pm- "Coleman it's time for nap buddy." His usual reply is "no, nap mommy!" But despite his refusal we go upstairs, and I lay down with him for a few minutes while he wiggles and wiggles and jabbers and jabbers. So I give him a kiss and a hug and leave the room. "If you get out of bed I will have to shut your door, so don't get out of bed okay buddy". "Okay mommy". I go down stairs to see what Canyon is doing.
1:15pm-I hear Coleman upstairs and he has gotten out of bed and I go upstairs again and shut his door. He cries and then the crying stops. The first time this happens at nap time, I shut the door for a few minutes and then open it and tell him one more time and then he usually stays in bed after that. If he gets out of bed again the door is shut for good. But this time he got out again and the door got shut for good. So he cries again and then the crying stops again. 'Oh good' I think 'he has gotten back in bed and will be asleep soon, just like usual'. Nope, when I peek in he has gotten books and toys out all over his bed and is jumping around the bed having the time of his life.
1:30pm- Get Canyon and Coleman and head to the car. I have too much to do today and tonight for him to not have a nap today. I am going to drive him around and MAKE him take a nap. So we start our drive which I have done with him before in desperate times. The drive usually only lasts 5-10 minutes.
2:15pm- Still driving...Coleman is jabbering about his cousin Logan and all the letters and the sounds they make, about his cousin Hayley, and saying "Stop driving Mom, go to sleep!", while Canyon and I don't say a word in the car. (Canyon wants to get back home just as much as I do). I am getting pretty frustrated at this point, mostly because I don't want him to win three days in a row!! So we head back home and I tell myself that I am going to win this battle today.
2:20pm- We are back home and I take Coleman straight up to his room. I lay down with him again for a few minutes while my sweet content Canyon waits quietly for me again downstairs. Coleman jabbers about taking turns with Logan (his cousin) and jabbers about things I can't understand. Sings his version of 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star', pretends his hand is a big Excavator and is dumping dirt, puts his feet on the wall, his feet in my belly, his feet in the air, and his feet on the head board. I fall asleep for a few minutes and wake up to something poking me in the face. When I open my eyes I can see that it is his finger and he starts laughing at me. So I tell him to lay down and to NOT get out of his bed. Surprisingly enough he stays there.
3:15pm- After several peaks and seeing that Coleman is staying in his bed, I take one final look. He is still awake. Man!!! I have so many things to do and I have wasted 2 hours. So I guess I will get Coleman out of bed and he will win this one for today. I get him and take him downstairs and put in a movie.
Wow! If you have read this far you must really be concerned about me. Am I crazy or what? I know he is learning what things to do to keep himself awake, but I know he still needs the nap. I don't like this stage. He is almost three and I am sure his time for taking naps is coming to an end. Hopefully tomorrow I will win the next battle, as for now the score is 3 to 0. Good job Coleman, you always know how to trick mommy and win!
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11 comments:
Ugh. I HATE that realization when you've fought them for so long and wasted so much time and still no one has slept. And everyone is just pissed off. That's why I gave up crying it out and whoever is fussier just naps with me.
This has been my day for the past month or so. Mia fights it really bad too and I usually resort to driving around. I hope you win tomorrow.
That's just terrible! At least you got a little nap in there ;) Maybe tomorrow you will win, let's hope so!
Man, I hate that stage! Lincoln was the best napper, Gracie grew out of them way too quick for my taste... I'm hoping Graham will follow in the footsteps of Lincoln on this one. You poor thing... I hope tomorrow is better!
P.S. Thanks for the comment on my blog. I'm glad I'm not the only blogging freak checking peoples blogs way more than I probably should! Maybe baby #4 will help me with that compulsive behavior... I won't have time!
Your boys are so adorable.
How old is Coleman? When do they start giving up their nap? Oh and is it bad to leave them in a crib until they are 5? I don't know if I have the patience for those kind of games.
Laurie, you are doing it the wrong way! You need to lay down with him, and instead of Coleman falling asleep, you do. After you are totally out, he will sneek off of the bed and turn on The Big Valley. Well, that is what David did as a kid and loves to tell the story to our kids. Hmm, no wonder none of my kids will take a nap.
Anyway, I am sorry, those days are so frustrating, especially when you are pregnant and tired.
Oh Laurie, I can totally relate. Haley is just over two and I'm having a hard time with her. If I don't lay down with her, she will read books in her bed for two hours and then so cranky from about 5:30 on. It stinks, but I think once they get used to not taking a nap, they stop getting cranky and can make it through the day. -You just still need to make them have quiet time for their good, but mostly for you. Good luck!
I am so sorry about the nap - I just did this with Zoey and it's so frustrating to waste so much time trying to get them to bed - I'm bummed to know I"ll have to go through it again with every child. I LOVE the picture of your three boys - so funny!
i'm glad that someone else is dealing with the nap issue, too. Olivia's only 2 and has given up on the naps, and I, too, give up 2 hours of my time to fight the nap--and then I'm frustrated. Good luck!
That just made me tired enough to go take a nap myself.
Seeing the picture of him below this post with his fingers up his nose just makes me giggle at the whole situation! Ugh, I hated the phase of nap/no nap. Good luck.
I suggest you have "quiet time" for Canyon while you lay down with Coleman and even if he doesn't fall asleep, at least you can get a good rest in! Oh wait, that's what I do:)....
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