Are You Sleeping?

Sam and Luke are three-year-old twins. I was tending during that peaceful time of day known as "naps." They share a bedroom with two cribs, where Sam takes his nap. Luke sleeps in a port-a-crib (where he has created a giant hole in the side netting, for easy escape.) It's in his brother Jake's room, since in the daytime the boys sleep better when separated. They had listened to stories, heard lullabies and were tucked in for the afternoon. I innocently went to lay down myself.

Sam is being potty trained and hadn't had to go earlier when I reminded him. I heard him in the bathroom and rushed in to help. Stripped from the waist down, he climbed on and proceeded to squirt right between the two seats. I hustled him off and cleaned things up. Luke had appeared to watch the action. Soon the floor was clean and they were back in their respective beds.

I heard some singing and talking, and I relaxed, thinking they were lulling themselves to sleep. When it had been quiet for a few minutes, I went to listen at the doors. I didn't have to get too close to Sam's door to realize I had hurried him off the toilet too quick. There was a distinct aroma. It was too gross to salvage the Spiderman underwear. Everything was disposed of, and I put him in the tub. Of course Luke reappeared, and had to get in, too. What the heck. At least baths were now taken care of.

With the room aired out, the boys fresh and sweet, we tried again. They were snuggled in with their blankies and books as I closed the doors.

The happy sounds of puzzles and blocks let me know they weren't sleeping, but it was too late in the afternoon for me to want them to fall asleep, anyway. Bedtime was fast approaching and we didn't want to miss that! So I let them play a few minutes, while I finally got my cat nap.

The crash jolted me upright a minute after I dosed off. Luke and I arrived at Sam's door simultaneously. Sam was looking sheepish as we peeked in and saw that he had removed the whole side of one of the cribs. It was laying on the floor where it had fallen, breaking the nightlight in the process. Luke said, "Did you do that to my bed?" Sam nodded. "Thanks, Sammy!" Luke said admiringly.

"Let's go outside," I said. "I think naps are over."