We’re currently in the middle of Nap Strike 2016. 

Not that I’m counting, but Sesame has only taken two naps in the last twelve days. I keep putting her down as I have for the last 30 months of her life but she won’t sleep. She’ll talk, sing, play and eventually whine and cry but not sleep. It’s been taking her more than an hour to fall asleep at night. She’s figured out my life doesn’t stop when she’s asleep and has developed a bad case of FOMO. She’s also getting molars which always bothers her so I know her little system is all messed up. Even so, doesn’t she know I need her to keep taking naps for the next 3 years?! I can’t rest during the day when she’s not sleeping because as soon as I lay down she starts yelling, ”Mama! I waked up! I waked up, mama!” NO YOU DIDN’T YOU NEVER WENT TO SLEEP. Between her not sleeping and my insomnia kicking in I’ve aged 60 years in the last two weeks.

Sarah: I get to hold a baby! Maddie: Where’s my mom? Annabelle: I refuse to look at my mother holding another child.

Speaking of babies, Annabelle is very into them right now. She’s big into talking about how she used to live in my belly and what kind of crib she slept in while in Hotel Womb. She’s always talking about her “yittle sister Kaferine” and telling me I’m “going to have a baby tomorrow.” Between the two of us she’s the only one interested in having a baby tomorrow.

For todays edition of trying to tire AB out for a nap we went to the zoo. I thought the weather was beautiful when we left the house. Thirty seven minutes later we were watching the elephants with sweat dripping down our backs. The zoo was approximately as hot as the surface of the sun. Of all the animals to be seen Annabelle likes the polar bear statue best. Every time she seems it she says, “so cuuute! I wuv da mama and da baby! Es so cuuute!” and I have to act like I’m seeing it for the first time.

We sat down to eat lunch near a group of Amish. If there’s any people group I like to think I’m an expert on it’s the Amish. I tried not to stare too much but seeing them made me so happy. One of the ladies was trying to get something from the vending machine but it wasn’t working. Eventually two more women, a men and a little boy went over to help. I’d have offered my assistance but vending machines tend to eat my money and not give me anything in return. Besides, I was wearing shorts so I didn’t want to draw attention to myself. By their standards I was basically dressed like a prostitute. 

We found a life size Farmer Brian from her Little People farm.

Our three hours on the surface of the sun didn’t make her tired enough. She was in bed for two hours and started yelling that she wanted underwear. I went up to check and she was standing there buck naked. I guess she knows how to take her diaper off. Happy Friday!