Naptime

“Claire, do you know what time it is?”

“I don’t wanna go nighty-night, Momma,” she said. “Not right now, Momma.”

“Oh, that’s fine. Wait. What did Puppy and Kitty just say?” I ask as I pick them up. I cradle them in my arms and hold them close to my ear. “You guys want to go nighty-night right now? Oh, okay.”

“Claire,” I say, “Puppy and Kitty want to go nighty-night right now. They want me to wrap them in one of your scarves. Which one do you want me to use…the blue one or the lavender one?”

“The blue one!” she tells me as she grabs it from the other side of the play area. “Here! Wrap Kitty and Puppy, please, Momma.”

“Okay, here ya go, guys…Shhhhhh…it’s okay. I’ll put you in the crib now,” I whisper as I turn for the door. “Claire, I’ll be right back, I need to put Puppy and Kitty in your crib, because they want to go nighty-night right now.”

After I gently place them in the crib and leave enough room for her, I go back into my office.

“Okay, Claire. Are you ready to lie down in the crib by Puppy and Kitty? You don’t have to go nighty-night, but they want you to be by them. Okay?” I’m still whispering, for effect.

“Okay, Momma. Shhhhhhhh. I need-ta be quiet. Kitty ‘n Puppy are sleepin’.”

“That’s right. Shhhhhhhhh. We need to be quiet,” I whisper as I lay her down in the crib. “Do you want me to cover the three of you with the blankey?”

She nods and she pops her thumb in her mouth and starts playing with her hair with the other hand, a sure sign that she is indeed ready for her nap. “Shhhhhhhhhhhh,” she says as she rubs Puppy and Kitty. “Shhhhhhhh, Momma. They sleepin’,” she whispers to me.

And I think she was asleep as soon as I shut the door…

I know that naptimes are teetering on the brink. So far, the above trickery is working. (This charade has worked for a few days now.) And, I’ll take what I can get.

When Puppy and Kitty start refusing to take naps, I’ll have to change my tactics.