Of course, right now there is no silence even though it is nap time. Right now, Client Two is standing up in his crib, clutching his blanket and screaming "Mama!" at the top of his little lungs. I know he's tired. He has to be. He's been awake for a good six plus hours and has had a busy day playing. We even went outside for a little bit today. Our thirty minute trip outside on this 90+, humidity drenched South Carolina day was enough to make me want to curl up in a ball and go to sleep. But apparently it only energized him.
Client One is actually the quiet one right now. She's curled up in her bed with her bear, listening to a story on tape. (Yes, tape.) When it's over, if she's still awake (and she almost always is) she will saunter out, demanding a snack and continue resting by watching a movie in her playroom. Right now she is obsessed with Homeward Bound:The Incredible Journey. And by obsessed I mean she's watching it like five times a day for the past week. I don't really dislike that movie but if I hear the theme music come streaming from her playroom again any time in the next 24 hours I'm likely to go crazy.
Nap time is important for the whole family. Trust me. Nobody wants to see mommy on a day when nobody took a nap. It's not pretty. Nap time is IMPORTANT. Here are just a few reasons:
- I need to eat food. Not mashed up, leftovers from my kids' plates, but real, hot food.
- I want to enjoy some ice cream without sharing. Or a cookie. Or brownies. Or cake. Call me selfish, but it's true. Some snackage is just too precious to share. Plus, sugar makes my kids go crazy which does not help my stress level.
- I need to recharge. Kids zap my energy faster than just about anything and I need every possible second to recharge.
- They need to recharge. As much as I would love for them to lay around watching an endless stream of TV all afternoon, the so-called experts advise against it. And if they don't recharge, they get grumpy. Then I get grumpy. Not pretty.
- The cats want to go into their room. Well, it's not their room, per se, but it's where their food dish and litter box is. During the day, thanks to Client Two trying eat the contents of both, the bedroom door has to stay closed. This makes me the kitty door opener and by nap time, both the cats and I are tired of this arrangement.
- I need to watch TV geared towards adults. This is TV that is not starring a talking animal, cartoon character or an over energetic real-life person with so much unnecessary pep that I want to slap them. Give me a show with a couple of adult-level jokes, some wit, a good-looking man (BBC, anyone?), a bit of drama and maybe a curse word or two.
- I need to do chores. Hahaha! Like I actually do these at nap time! Well, sometimes I do, but only when I'm really desperate or in a really weird, rare, cleaning mood.
- I need to make a phone call without screaming kids in the background. Sometimes, I need to hear things and actually communicate effectively with someone on the other end of the phone. This cannot be done when the children are awake and scampering around. It is pretty much a documented fact that a child does not need you until you are busy. Phone call are one of those times.
- I need to pee. Technically, I can pee pretty much anytime during the day, but it's nice to do it without holding a conversation about unicorns or holding someone in my lap.
- I need to shower. Sometimes, I take a shower during nap time even if I have already managed to sneak one in earlier in the day. It's just nice to be able to enjoy the shower without a head or two popping in. Some days, I really need to shower because I haven't have a chance yet.
- I need a few moments without someone climbing on me. Client Two thinks I am a human jungle gym and if he's getting attention then heaven forbid that Client One gets left out.
So, it's nap time. Client Two is still crying and I think (fingers crossed) that Client One is asleep. It's peace time, for me though. But it will be over all too soon. Soon, chaos will reign once again.
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