Monday, July 7, 2008

Why Is It When You Want Them To Nap, They Just DON'T???

I took my three rugrats to the Boys and Girls Club bright and early this morning. My two daughters had scheduled activities (my oldest was signed up for tennis; my youngest had gymnastics), and my son wanted to hang out with his friends for a bit, before and after he did his volunteer gig in the kitchen.

My little one's gymnastics, was, of course, in the gym (located on the third floor of the building). It might has well have been in a sauna, because even that early in the morning, that's what the gym felt like. Thank goodness the class was only 45 minutes long!

My oldest daughter met up with us after her tennis class was over, and she looked as if she'd been watered down with a hose... her little face was DRIPPING with sweat! She came to the car with us, so she could take off her tennis shoes and socks, and put on her sandals. She wanted to stay too -- and hang out with her friends, and have lunch there. Her Nana had given her $5 for her excellent report card, and she had that money burning a hole in her pocket, for sure!

So... off my little one and I went, to do our errands. Believe me, if I didn't have to do what I did this morning, I would have gone right back home; by 11:00 o'clock it was already 83 degrees here, and my car's air conditioner conveniently decided to crap the bed on me! So, I rolled down all the windows (looking in my rearview mirror every five minutes, to make sure my daughter wasn't throwing projectiles out the open windows!), and headed off to the bank, then the Post Office, then the supermarket.

The bank and post office were both easy errands... I didn't have to get out of the car for either of them (why does it become infinitely more difficult to run even the most mundane of tasks with a toddler in tow?).

The supermarket proved to be fairly easy, too... considering there was a vacant carriage parked right next to the spot I'd pulled into, so I could scoop my daughter out of the car, and plop her little butt into the front of the carriage without having to deal with the fight that typically ensues EVERY SINGLE TIME I take her to the store with me. She wants to walk (meaning RUN) in the store, and my answer is always, unequivocally NO. So, I have to listen to her complain and whine and cry practically the entire time I'm travelling up and down the aisles, because she didn't get her way. Oh, joy.

I was so relieved that I had NONE of that today. It was enough of an aggravation to feel like the receiving end of a wet mop. I didn't need the shrill whine of a 3-year-old to contend with.

We brought our empty bottles to the recycling station first, and she took sheer delight in "helping" me, by handing me a bottle one at a time from the garbage bag I'd brought with us. She liked it even more when I let her keep a quarter out of the change I'd gotten as a result of the deposits. She kept telling me she was going to take me to McDonald's for lunch (oh, that it were so inexpensive! :).

I was smart this time... I brought a list with me. The good news is, I didn't veer from it (much), so we were done with our grocery shopping fairly quickly. The bad news is... we had to head back out into that moist, soupy air again.

Since the road I normally take to and from the grocery store was shut down (due to construction), I decided to risk having my 1/2 gallons of ice cream turn to gazpacho, and took the long way home. Of course, because I did that, my youngin' decided she was going to take a nice little snooze for herself in the car on the way home. It was great in the respect that I could lug up the grocery bags while leaving her strapped peacefully into her carseat.

But... that little "cat nap" was enough for her. Now, she's raring to go.

It would be so sweet if she were to lie down and take a lovely little nap. That would mean, you see, that I could take a nap, as well! And, because the heat knocks me off my feet so severely, a nap would be just what the doctor ordered right now. Alas, it's not going to happen today. She's wandering around, switching off between playing with her toys and watching TV. She just finished watching "Chowder", I think. I don't pay much attention to the foolishness she watches, for fear I might get sucked into the void, as well!

Oh, well.

Guess I could plan on going to bed early. We'll have to wait and see what happens.

8 comments:

Erica said...

It would be very hard to not let that quarter handle a couple of items from the value menu at McD's. (provided one has the extra green that is.)And all just for the delight on a child's face!

When I take my two to the store now, it's like I have two little demons. (haha!)

Mama C. said...

Yeah, but the problem was that I LITERALLY only had $50 to last me the rest of the week, and it all HAD to be spent on food today, or we weren't going to have enough to eat for the rest of the week.

I'll be SOOOOO glad when my husband gets his paycheck on Friday. Then I can do my "big shopping" as my little one calls it! :)

I told her that she could save her money, and I'd let her buy me lunch for my birthday next week. She was happy about that! :)

Erica said...

Well, $50 seems a huge deal to me! But I hear you on it needing to go to food.

Coastalgrannie said...

This reminds me of my daughter who bought a Furby (don't know if you remember those little robot-things that randomly turned on and youu had to respond to their needs)while she was pregnant. She thought she would practice having to take care of something. she ended up locking it in her closets at nights, graduated to removing its batteries and eventually returned it to the store! A little too much realism. She has joked since that she wished her oh-so-active little boy had come with batteries. His activity level and her sleep requirements are always at opposite ends of the spectrum. I feel your exhaustion!

I have shared the truth with my kids of my survival skills as a young mom. When I needed sleep and bedtime seemed ages away - I lied about the time. I told them it was whatever time was their bedtime. When they got older and could read a clock, I changed the clock. It only worked for a short time - but desperate times call for desperate measures! Hang in there!

Kay said...

$50 for a week to me is more than I ever have, but it doesn't go far when you have to buy food.

McDonald's can be expense. E and I can split 3 items from the dollar menu to cut costs, but none of our siblings would do that, and little munchkins can't.

I remember Furby's. They had a short return to popularity not that long ago.. but then, I worked at TRU so I know all the toys.

Kay said...

And oh yeah, your daughter did nap. Just you need more than a nap, you need a good nights sleep!

Mama C. said...

It's been so dang hot here lately that it's just sucking the life out of me, so I MADE myself go to bed early last night. I didn't fall asleep until after 11 o'clock, but at least I was lying down, petting my kitty as I was watching TV.

I definitely feel much better today.

And yes, I remember Furbies. They were (almost) as annoying as a whining 3-year-old! :) I preferred Barbies... they said whatever you wanted them to, always were at the height of fashion, and never talked back! ;)

C.

Susy said...

I agree....
Barbie's are the bomb