Naps

It is such a bittersweet ending when one of your kiddos decides to no longer nap.  Okay who am I kidding... when your kid decides to quit napping it is as if your one saving grace in the day is totally ripped out from under you!  I loved nap time, especially when I could get both kids down at the same time.  It was time for me to recharge my batteries and get a little "me" time.  Most the time I spent cleaning up messes, but it was uninterrupted time to get those things done.

About four months ago, Audrey decided she was done napping, and honestly it was beginning to mess up her bed time schedule as well, so I guess it was about time.  However, the time from about 5-7:45 is normally a rough time in the Evans' household. That is the time Audrey becomes very tired, irritable, and highly emotional. 

It is almost a double edge sword because I know she could use a nap, however if she does nap she is up until 10:30 pm and that is not a good thing for tired mom and dad.  Therefore, giving up nap is the smartest choice, but I find myself being crazy and irritable during this 5-7:45 time frame as well.  I find my patience is shot and I become a crazy mom.  I do surprisingly well up until this point of keeping my cool, even when major disasters and drama occurs, but it is almost as soon as my husband gets home from work, I am ready to "tap" out of being a mom and I just want a half hour to just get my composure.  Although this never happens because we are in the full swing of dinner and then bath time or bed time routines.  So I become a crazy lunatic, my husband attempts to help and our evening becomes a living hell until the kids are asleep.  This really isn't healthy.

I guess what I need to be doing is drinking a bottle of wine while I cook dinner to try and calm my nerves until Tyler gets home, but this would get pricey and well it is quite a few calories.  However I could manage just a glass, which would then save on wine, money, and calories.  I also think that I need to be planning a craft or activity for Tyler to do with the kids after dinner so I can get that thirty minutes of "me" time.  It may sound selfish, but honestly I am becoming a crazy mom by evening and I am not liking the results that it has on my blood pressure or the way the kiddos look at me.  Talk about mom guilt there!

Regardless of what I decide to do, something needs to change and I have to help Audrey get through the cranky stage of the evening.  Things probably are not getting better, as I am modeling some crazy behavior for her, so I guess if I want her behavior to improve I better start working on mine.  So this evening I will be opening up a bottle of wine and pouring myself a glass, celebrating the small victory of getting through the day.  I will stay calm and cool as Audrey becomes an emotional roller coaster and Ayden feeds off her emotion.  If I am ambitious I will create a craft for Tyler to do with the kids and I will go upstairs and fold laundry or read so that I can have a few moments to myself and recharge before I become a professional book reader for the bed time routine.  I am not doing all of this for me, but rather for my husband and kids because a happy momma is one to keep around!