Too Good To Be True

My friend Kelly came over today to pick up the co-sleeper that we used when the girls were little (she is due in May). We were talking about how guilty I feel for looking for a place to send the girls over the summer (part time, maybe 2-3 days a week). I feel guilty since I am home so I could take care of them, and I could save us some money at the same time. I said to Kelly "this long weekend has been great, the girls have been really good, I don't feel as drained as I did over March break." Well, I should have kept my big mouth shut for those of you who believe in jinxing yourself. It is 12:30 and I have been sitting here listen to the girls scream (and NOT in a good way) since 12:15. They are exhausted, having been up since 7:15 and we have been playing pretty physically (marching up and down the hallway, jumping in the Princess castle, dancing, going to the upstairs playroom and then back down etc etc). I know when they are tired, it isn't like when they were younger and sometimes I couldn't tell. I even asked them if they want to go for their nap. Emma nodded and Maddie grabbed her books and said "I alk" (meaning I want to walk upstairs). Their normal nap routine is to talk with each other and scream a bit (but the good, happy scream) and then they settle down and sleep. I have the monitor on but I turn down the volume until later. I could hear them through the walls, and at first it was the good scream, but then I could hear someone crying. I turned on the monitor and I could hear Madison saying "mummy, fall down" so I went upstairs to investigate. She hadn't fallen down, she was sitting up, and so was Emma. I gave Maddie her soother and I said "lie down, it is time for your nap." Emma threw her soother out of the crib and said "no, mummy want uppie." I stood firm as I know what the days are like when they don't nap, and they are much too young to be dropping their nap. I lay them both back down, adjusted their stufed animal placements, wrapped Emma like a sausage (she loves this and in the morning she says "sausage, want be like sausage") and I walked out. Well, all he!! broke loose. I think Emma might have lost her voice and potentially thrown up, which she does when she gets this worked up. They screamed and cried until I almost broke down and went in. I called John for support and he said to leave them in there until at least 1. As I type, all is quiet, so I think they are finally asleep. Let's hope! Sleep issues drive me nuts. No, nap issues drive me nuts. I have said it before, it's not the break (although as usual, I enjoy that part too) it's dealing with them all day when they haven't had a good nap. My girls obviously need a lot of sleep (just like John) and when they miss their nap, they are fine for awhile and then they crash and I have two kids who want to be carried everywhere all the time. They get totally whiny and cry, roll around on the floor etc etc. It's impossible for me to go to the washroom, make dinner, do anything when they are in this state. So I really need them to take that nap. It is always a crapshoot as to what decision to make. Do I bring them downstairs if they aren't sleeping? Do I let them cry for a few minutes? For how long? I think today John gave me the right advice. I almost went in to get them but I just turned on the monitor and all is quiet. Phew. Methinks sending then to daycare part time in the summer is going to be a good thing!