CHAMBANA—All napping has come to a complete halt in one Midwestern home, causing the adults who live there to bleed from their ears.
The noise level from this suburban tract house is staggering, and visitors are incredulous when an exhausted looking 37-year-old woman claims that all the crying is coming from one small 10-month-old baby boy.
“I can’t think straight anymore,” says Mrs. Chicken, the baby’s mother. “Maybe there are two kids up there. It sounds like two kids, doesn’t it?”
In the past three days, Chicken says, the baby has only slept for a total of 120 minutes. “That’s just two hours,” she says. “Two hours in three days. Do you know how bad that is? Do you?”
Chicken is obsessed with getting the boy to nap, and her other child, a girl, 4, wanders the house with knotted hair. She clutches an empty sippy cup and asks a complete stranger to fill it.
“Can you get me some juice?” she asks. “Mom keeps forgetting.”
Dinners go uncooked as Chicken attempts and fails again and again to soothe the baby to sleep. “I think he may be going from two naps to one,” she says, an edge in her voice. “That’s it, right? That’s the problem, right?”
The deperation in this household is palpable.
Chicken conceeds that sooner or later she’s going to have to get the baby out of the crib. “I have to feed him,” she says, with a sigh. “Right?”
{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
LOL…..thanks for the laugh and wishes for sleep…..
thesandwichlife’s last blog post..Couple of Random Notes and a Chance for Free Frozen Yogurt….
This is terribly tragic, familiar, and hysterical all at once. I hope the little dude passes out eventually for you.
I’m sorry. I mourn the loss of naps too.
Stimey’s last blog post..They Always Say That Eyewitnesses Are Unreliable
Is he sleeping at night time? Because I don’t know what I would do if he only slept 120 minutes for the whole past three days. ((hugs)) to you my friend.
xoxo
Domestic Extraordinaire’s last blog post..Sixteen things
“Her other child, a girl, 4, wanders the house with knotted hair.” This made me laugh really hard.
Assertagirl’s last blog post..Introducing…the bump.
Oh Mrs. C. I feel for you (she says as she giggles rereading the post). I do though, really.
I’m guessing yes – going from 2 naps to 1, but eek he sure is doing it the hard way.
Kimberly’s last blog post..Tiny dancer
Well written post. Sorry you are struggling with napping problems.
Michelle’s last blog post..When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade!
OH man, the transition is tough from one nap to two. Will he give in and nap if you put him in the car or stroller? (obviously not a long term solution but thinking might let you get a break and give your 4 year old some juice lol).
I’m sure you have considered this, but have you thought maybe it’s an ear infection? Just thinking if he’s refusing to lay down…always first sign with my kids. Or what about white noise to drown out the summertime noises?
Good luck and I hope he sleeps for you soon
Wendy
There’s been a nap strike of late chez nous too. I don’t want to think of how much money has been spent on gas (or how much pollution is attributable to our household) since a drive is the only way to get the child to sleep. Hope things improve soon!
giggle. Sorry…I wish I had words of wisdom, but my boys gave up naps COMPLETELY when they were younger than 2…and two naps a day? Ended WAY early!
Hang in there, maybe it’s some growth spurt-teething-Satan taking over thing that will pass.
pgoodness’s last blog post..Ookie-akey-pie
I have said it before, I will say it again…tranq dart.
flutter’s last blog post..
I adore your news articles. Although the subject matter? Supremely disturbing. I recommend whiskey. For you, or the baby? You decide.
Rachael’s last blog post..The Call
Holy cow. Please don’t let this happen to me!
Kerrie’s last blog post..The First Birthday Party: What Not To Do
Hoping for your sake that he’s just teething and will go back to napping soon!
Heather’s last blog post..Creativity Doesn’t End When the Sun Goes Down
Oh, man I feel for you. My First and third sons dropped ALLL NAPS by age one. I used to count down the hours to bedtime. They never even fell asleep in the car. Some babies just don’t need that much sleep, and it’s a travesty.
“Quiet Time” used to work at one point. Listening to a certain CD story? Music?
The pediatrician recommended preschool.
One good thing about kids who don’t sleep, they do everything sooner: Walk, talk, etc. More awake time to practice! My eleven-year-old is still an insomniac, and stays up reading till late. So he’s a great reader.
Accentuating the positives here!!
Nan’s last blog post..We’ll Make A Bookworm Of Him Yet
Poor you, I hope he remembers how to sleep again real soon. It must be very hard on all of you. My sympathies are with you.
Irene’s last blog post..Zippedydooda…
OH GOD. I was reading this sideways with my laptop at arm’s length in case it’s totally contagious and would catch fire in this house. The only thing keeping me sane at the moment is the fact that my three year old is napping reliably these days and I wouldn’t survive if she didn’t.
Jenna’s last blog post..It’s all relative
oh dear …. that sounds really, really bad! I feel for ya . .
HAAAAAAAAAA!
My daughter wanders juiceless as well. I laughed my ass off at that part.
Binky’s last blog post..Inscrutable
I feel your pain, cept mine is backwards. Harrison is under the impression that he needs no sleep at night. I think it’s teething, but still it’s gotten very old. Wanna trade for a few days?
ps. Adore that photo in the post below. Those are my favorite types of photos.
Issa’s last blog post..Questions for the class
My kids were the WORST nappers in the universe. So, basically, I completely understand and unfortunately REMEMBER all these years later. Peace be with you, mama.
Carrie’s last blog post..With or Without You
Love it.
Man, I could talk about naps for hours. I will just say that my daugther only did two 20 minute naps between seven and ten months. And then like magic she started sleeping longer.
Wishing you some magic.
Brie’s last blog post..Rituals