Daytime slumber

What many people would do to have a foreign workday of work, long lunch, nap, then back to work.

Not my 2.5 year old son. Sleep and food evade him. How can two children of my own be so different? The "baby" (who's 15 mon now) can eat anything, literally, and sleep through anything.

Anyway, back to my 2.5yo, P. For the naptime routine, I put baby R onto his bed, give him a book to play/read, then bring P to his bed in his room and give P a book or two. I then go to my room (yes, baby still sleeps in my room) to put baby R down, which usually takes 5-10 min. Probably, like twice, I've been lucky enough to see P already knocked out when I go back to check on him. But most of the time, he's still reading, waiting for me, then he takes awhile to doze off, then another while to knock out. If I try to sneak away before he knocks out, his super toddler powers will sense it, he'd get up, and proceed to bawl for me to sit down again, which I do, only to wait another 15-20 min for the whole process again.

But today was something else. He didn't sleep for nearly an hour even as I sat and waited. I sternly told P if he doesn't sleep, I would let him cry. Another 10 min goes by. True to my word, I walk out and wait outside the closed door to listen, but he doesn't protest. Er? So I just mozy on downstairs to do some chores. As I'm finishing up the dishes, I thought I hear something. I turn off the water to listen, but still complete silence. Wow. Did he fall asleep by himself finally? And without a sound??? Another 20 min goes by (30 min since I left him alone), then I hear it. (So, roughly 1.5 hr since I put him down, which should've been almost his entire nap so far.)

"Mommyyyy!!! Mommy!! Where are youuuu??!"

Ugh.

Upstairs I go to his room, welcomed by the all too familiar stink of "poo-poo yucky," as he said as I walked in. Great. So I change him, put him back in his crib, then proceed to take off again.

"Mommy!! Stay. Sit!"

"No, it's naptime. Lay down."

Puppy dog eyes and a frown.

"Ugh," think, "OK, downstairs to lay on the couch for a bit."

He lays on the couch for 10 min as I'm doing random things, then he gets up, then starts throwing his toys at the TV, a familiar act-out from fatigue and overtiredness.

That's it. "Back upstairs you go."

"Nooo!!!"

I put him in his crib, alone, for another 20 min while I finish up chores downstairs. Again, he doesn't protest. By then, I hear baby waking up...and big bro hears it too. Sigh. (This is about 2 hrs after I put him down in the first place - his entire naptime.)

I then retrieve baby and go to P's room. I shook my head as I see he's sitting up in his crib. "Do you wanna walk the dog with me?"

"Uh huh," he nods, standing up, holding his bear, ready to jump down.

I frown, roll my eyes, and...give in. "OK, let's go."

I dreaded the moment I decided to give in. It only means we were in for a nightmare for the rest of the day. An overtired kid is no walk in the park. But I figured naptime was over, and if he slept by then, bedtime would be super late. But...

The miraculous occurs. The evening, through the dog walking, dinner, pre-bedtime play/routine, and even bedtime, goes on without a single tantrum, sob, nudge, or act of rebellion! If you know P, this was not in his character to be this well-behaved without a nap.

Maybe my toddler is actually becoming a child who can understand that his exhausted parents don't need an attitude from him.

Or maybe we were just darn lucky today.