"Mommy. Mommy."
When I didn't respond she stretched my name out.
"Mom-meeeeeeee." I felt something poke my neck.
I cracked open one eye. Natalie was pressing the corner of her book at me. She grinned and went, "Hi," as though I hadn't been sleeping at all.
"Mommy is resting," I said, rubbing my neck. We were driving back from the beach. It's a three hour drive back to my parent's house so I thought I could get some shut eye after I handed Natalie the DVD player with Toy Story in it. This entertained her for all of ten minutes.
"Mommy, I'm thirsty," Natalie told me seriously. She smacked her lips for emphasis even though she had water at her side.
"It's there," I nodded my head at her sippy cup. I closed my eyes.
"Mommy?"
Oh for--watch Toy Story! This is what I wanted to say but I swallowed it back. We were riding in a van and I was sitting beside Natalie.
"Yes?" My eyes were open again.
"Mommy, I just...I just..." Natalie wiggled in her carseat. Clearly she didn't remember what she needed from me. "I need Rapunzel."
I dug through her backpack and produced her mini Rapunzel doll.
"There," I said. I leaned my head back. Natalie said nothing for a bit so I started to drift off, to the beautiful world of naptime, a world that I don't get to visit very often....
"Oh no! Buzz," Natalie said. I felt her tapping my arm. "Buzz is brokens. Buzz is brokens, Mommy, and I can't help him."
I sighed as I peered at the DVD player. Sure enough Buzz was on the ground and his arm was snapped off.
"He'll be fine. Rememeber it all ends happy, lalala," I assured her.
Silence again.
Off to napworld.
"Mommy, what are you doing?" Natalie asked. She hasn't napped since she was two so she probably had no idea. She suddenly gave naps up firmly telling me, "No more," one day and marching from her room.
Yes, I wanted to cry.
"I'm napping. Watch your DVD. That's quality entertainment right there," I promised.
"I want to watch Barbie," Natalie said.
I flipped through her book of DVDs and switched Toy Story out for a Barbie movie.
"Why is Barbie in a dress? What is Barbie doing?" Natalie said, frowning at the screen.
Ironically, Barbie was trying to nap.
"If I could just sleep," I practically begged. If my parents weren't up front I'd have told her to knock it off. But then she'd scream and I didn't think my parents wanted to hear it. I didn't want to hear it.
I shut my eyes. A few minutes later something landed in my lap. Mini Rapunzel.
"She wants to be with you," Natalie told me grandly as though I should be thankful.
Did I get a nap in the end?
No.
No, I did not.
Did I have to endure watching some annoying Barbie movie because Natalie claimed Barbie wanted me to watch her?
Yes.
Yes, I did.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
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The best I can do is sleep an extra hour for you. K?
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised. I would think a Barbie movie would be enough to put anyone to sleep.
ReplyDeleteThe Barbie movie was awful. We own like 4 of them.
ReplyDeleteWe only have 2 of the Barbie movies. They're so bad, they're funny! They're really awful to men (especially Ken. Could he be any stupider?).
ReplyDeleteLong car rides with the kids - UGH!!! What a nightmare, even if you aren't trying to sleep!!
ReplyDeleteI never get a nap either. Someday I'll be old and be able to fall asleep anywhere and too deaf to know the difference!!!!!
Eeee, Im so glad Im not forced to watch Barbie.
ReplyDeleteAround here its endless hours of Spongebob and Adventure Time. GAG!
But still... Im thinking its gotta be better than Barbie!! lol
Do you know what's a real kicker? Now that my kids are sleeping through after many years of interrupted nights, I suffer from insomnia! Life is just cruel.
ReplyDeleteI could handle Toy Story, but Barbie? So sorry!
ReplyDeleteI can SO relate! Hope you get some well earned rest soon.
ReplyDeleteI do not know if you have ever seen the Family Guy episode where Stewie annoys Lois, but your post reminded me of this tidbit:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNkp4QF3we8
I promise it isn't spam, just a link to a youtube clip.
BTW, I love the title of your blog!!
I miss naptimes too.
ReplyDeleteI think I'll go have a nap.
ReplyDelete:)
that's the worst, days when Maggie won't nap I always feel like crying!!
ReplyDeleteI always said a vacation/trip with small kids was never a relaxing vacation/trip. I remember those days!
ReplyDeleteI wondered why you were trying to nap while driving back from the beach.
ReplyDeleteThen you said you parents were driving.
Ah kids. They ruin everything.--(TWCAS)(Thats What Casey Anthony Said)
Things we do for our kids!
ReplyDeleteLong trips with kids are tough! My problem now is that my son watches the same movie (Thomas the Train) over and over again. Our most recent trip was 19 hours..... And I still hear the songs in my head from the drive.
ReplyDeleteWishing you better luck next time!
I'm so glad my children are all over 18 now. I do so love my naps...
ReplyDeleteBut in a couple of months you can laugh at me when my grandbaby is keeping me up.
♥Spot
I remember those days. Never want them again. In a few years, a looooooooong few years, I'll be the grandparent up front, making it to where my kids can't tell their kids to knock it off. Haha, Of course I never had dvd's when they were little either so I always had to entertain them.
ReplyDeleteHoly crap I feel old now.
Naps. Mmmmmmm. I remember those. . . *sigh*
ReplyDeleteUgh, my son stopped napping at age 2 as well. He's 6, and doesn't appreciate the splendor of a relaxing afternoon snooze.
ReplyDeleteThese kids.
I can't wait until they're grown. Once mine is out of the house, I'm setting the alarm to call him at 3am every night.
Just for fun.
Barbie will get you every time.
ReplyDeleteOh man! That sounds rough!
ReplyDeleteI totally cracked up at the part where Barbie was trying to take a nap!
Let's admit it: sometimes small children are gnats buzzing in our ears and we just wish we could swat the away. Go on. Admit it.
ReplyDeleteEwww- Barbie.
ReplyDeleteBoys are so cool:)
That's one of the reasons why YOUNG people have babies... hehehe... they don't know what comes with them...LOL
ReplyDeleteSorry, I could not resist playing with you a little.
xxx