no naps!

One of my dearest friends from high school posted this link on my Facebook page today. It is a really great video. I love how honest all the moms are...it's things that I think or deal with every day. And then the kids. The sweetest, kindest, most innocent little kids reminding me why it's all worth it.
I never appreciated my own parents enough (sorry, Vonny & Ken...hey, it only took me until age 31 to appreciate you. I guess I have approximately 27 more years to wait to hear those words from Jack.)

Right now, Jack is NOT about appreciation. He's about stubbornness and whining and being first at everything. He's about saying NO and basically undermining every plan I make. The reason for this? Well, he's a 4-year-old boy. Yes. But also, he has recently given up his afternoon nap.

This seems like no big deal, you're thinking? "But, Kelly, now you have time in the afternoons to get stuff done, without being chained to the house at naptime!" Um, no. Caroline recently moved from 2 naps to 1 (which was another wonderful transition...ha, ha, ha) and her naps have to be 2.5+ hours or she's an utter nightmare.

So now instead of having 2 kids nap at the same time (I had a brief 2 or 3 month window where that happened - it was glorious), I have one kid who is a light sleeper who legit requires her beauty rest, and another who is borderline manic during his old nap time and only wants to run around, play swords, and yell like a caveman when he's supposed to be resting. Did I mention that we have a 1600 sq ft house?

Afternoons are a little rough. I've tried to force Jack to sleep some days (it doesn't work. He lays in bed and stares at the ceiling and sings himself songs about how he's not tired...even though he is.) So I recently started enforcing "quiet" time - basically, he has to stay in his room and can entertain himself however he pleases, as long as he's quiet. TV, ipad, toys, trains, books...whatever. I don't care, as long as he doesn't blow himself up. The plan is that this gives me the much-needed downtime I need in the afternoon to do stuff like - you know, laundry, clean the kitchen, etc. Some days are better than others.

In the late afternoons, when Caroline wakes up, we usually go to the park with friends or at least take a long walk. It gets them outside and it's nice that the weather has been cooling off. Today though, our schedule was all messed up. Justin was on a business trip (again) and got back around 4pm today. He came straight home and we planned to grab pizza dinner, buy a pumpkin, and help the kids carve it.

Jack was a MESS. No nap, Daddy home, excitement about Halloween, competition with Caroline for our attention...he whined and yelled and sobbed. He screamed and hit. He said mean things ("I HATE EVERYONE in my FAMILY!") It lasted forever it seemed. Justin and I both tried every tactic. Ignoring it, explaining, talking calmly, taking things away, time out. Nothing really worked. Finally, I put Caroline to bed at her normal 7:00 bedtime, and Jack went right behind her. He was asleep in less than 2 minutes.

I know it's a phase. I know it will pass. But wow, it's hard. I know he's a good kid underneath there, but sometimes, the crazy hellion that comes out shocks me. It makes me angry. It tests my patience. I have to remind myself that he's 4 and that this is all new to him. He's trying to be grown and it's hard for him too! And he's got a little sister that requires a lot of work and attention (that's another post...) and I am guilty of ignoring him to deal with her. I need to do better at giving him the attention he needs, and somehow getting through this rough patch until he gets used to his new normal schedule.

Phew! On that note...I am exhausted. Very glad both kids are asleep, very happy Justin is home, and very very tired. Night night :)