Nap Time

I have to admit it.  I haven't been one who has been too sentimental about different stages the girls go through as they grow.  I didn't cry when I stopped nursing them or when I put away size 1 diapers.  Talking, daycare, old enough for activities at the Y...non of those made me feel all sad because my babies were growing up.

I really think this is more because I have been more excited about the new "stage" they are entering than sad about leaving a stage behind.  However, today I resigned myself to give in and let Jackie leave a stage behind that I am truly sad about.

Naps.

I knew it was coming by spring time this year.  She was taking shorter naps and even had a few days here or there where I would catch her just playing and not really sleeping.  Throughout the summer, she would nap two or three days in a row and then it would be a battle to get her to stay in the room and sleep the fourth day.

And today, I made the weekday decision to stop making her take a nap.  This decision did not come easy.  I cherish nap time.  Because it's also my rest time.  My time to watch Netflix, work on school stuff, or eat a snack without beggars wanting bites.

There is one time I look forward to more than nap time.  Bedtime.   The last few nights have been a real bear to get Jackie to stay in her room after teeth, prayers, and story.  Fighting us and getting our of bed for a good two hours.  (Any guesses how long nap time usually lasts??)

So I gave in.  Hoping that taking nap time away would make for easier bed time, at least during the week.  Weekends are a little more flexible for now, plus she may just be all tuckered out by the weekend and need a little snooze to get her through.

I just hope Katerina lasts a couple more years...

Officer Jackie

I believe there is a very good possibility that our 4-year-old may become a police officer.

She loves to make sure people are following the rules.

She loves to report it when others (especially her sister) break said rules.

And she knows, without a doubt, that when approaching stoplights you GO on green and STOP on red.

The following took place this afternoon when we were driving home from the dentist.  Ethan, who is notorious for hitting every red light through town, approached a stoplight.  The light turned yellow and he decided to keep going.  Technically....he probably should have slowed down, but it was still yellow.

Then it turned red.

Jackie saw it.

"Dad, you went on that red light."

"Didn't you see that it was red?!?"

"Daaaaadddd your not supposed to drive when it's red!"

"Green is go and red is stop, you didn't stop you went!"

"Did you think it was green?  No!  It was red.  You didn't stop!"  -- This is where I completely lost it.

"I saw it turn red."

"Here's another light, it's green you can go.  If it turns red you have to stop."

The same 4-year-old who doesn't have the attention span to color a picture, lectured us on stopping for red lights for over a mile.

We were in tears.

I don't know what my children will actually grow up to become, but I can tell you one thing.  If Jackie doesn't choose a career that allows her to enforce rules or laws, I will be very surprised.

PS...I totally expect our first parent/teacher conference to have some sort of reference to Jackie being "bossy" or a "tattle-tale."  I just hope to turn those terms into "leader" and "enforcer" someday!  :)