Nappy-Face

My children don't wake up from naps very nicely.
Never have.

They get it from me. I don't wake up from naps very nicely either.
But I quite enjoy them nevertheless.

When Derek was a baby, he would wake up with an immediate and fierce need to nurse.
If you were the owner of non-productive nipples, it was better that you just not be the one to get him up from his nap.

Alex was a terrible waker as well. Her transition from nap to real world as a toddler was so bad that drinking some juice, eating a little snack, and watching a 30-minute show was about the only way that she could survive it.
This was the beginning of what has become known in our house as juiceandasnackandashow.

They both expect it now.
When Alex comes out of her quiet time and Derek gets up from his nap they both come out of their rooms with the urgent request.
"Mommy, is it time for juiceandasnackandashow?"

Usually it is.

One of the worst things you can do to my children is to wake them from their naps prematurely.
I don't do it very often, but sometimes it just can't be avoided.

I like to wake them up with the sound of the camera shutter.
Seeing pictures of them sleeping reminds me that I do indeed like those little boogers.
They are just ever so much more pleasant when asleep.

I had to wake Derek yesterday because it was getting to be evening time.
He didn't take that long of a nap, we just hadn't put him down at his normal time.

We didn't want him to be napping when all of those many people came through for our open house.
(For accuracy's sake, the word "many" can be loosely interchanged with the word "none.")

Isn't he sweet? He drools in his sleep just like his mommy.

Not so sweet-- the post nap grouchies

I'm sorry buddy. I can totally relate.

Looks like it's time for juiceandasnackandashow, wouldn't you say?