Nap time

If you were to read a book to a dog, what content would you choose.

Really, the answer is simple. But I'll get to that.

As many know, between three and four, children drop naps all together. Tahlia has never been a strong napper, so, Mommy and I have realized that this nap drop may come earlier rather than later. But we're not happy with it, and have decided to hold onto the one nap that we have come to cherish. So how do you make a three year old nap, when she states, "I'm not tired"?

We fell upon an idea. Maybe the nap wasn't as important as quiet time. So, during a weekend, this weekend as a matter of fact, we decided that I would implement a new wave of nap -- quiet time. After three days of Tahlia screaming and waking up Asher, as well as making Mommy run a marathon up and down the stairs for various reasons including, but not limited to: needing a drink, pee pee in the potty, blanket fixing, needing to lie on the other side; we decided that something needed to change. The change was that, as I was putting Tahlia down, I explained that Mommy and I were going to take an nap, and in the mean time:

1. Mommy and I wouldn't be coming back until her music was over (about an hour)
2. She could get out of her bed if she wanted.
3. She needed to be quiet.

Mommy didn't think it would work.

Can you keep a secret? I was unsure that it would work.

But, I left her room, and hoped.

Mommy was already in bed when I climbed in. We listened. Nothing came over the monitor, but, with in seconds of me leaving, we could hear the pitter-patter of little feet out of bed.

We waited in anticipation of a call, a cry, a plea for company.

But we heard nothing.

Soon, we fell asleep.

Soon, we woke to Asher waking.

Tahlia's room was quiet.

We wondered what was going on in there, but, apparently, she was sleeping.

We went and picked up Asher and went downstairs to wait. After a miraculous hour and a half, she cried out for Daddy.

I ran upstairs to find her on her bed. Surrounding her were a plethora of books and stuffed animals. The reason for her crying? She needed to go pee-pee in the potty. I picked her up and asked, "Tahlia, were you reading books?"

"No Daddy," she stated. "I was reading books to Dog-Dog."

"Oh really, and then you just fell asleep?"

"Yeah. I was reading doggy books to Dog-Dog."

And I looked on the bed. I'm not really sure how she found any room to sleep, but, closest to the tiny empty spot where a three year old body could have been curled, were a book about a little white dog named Tucker, and the Hairy McClary book. Apparently, she fell asleep reading to Dog-Dog.

Apparently, you read books about dogs to dogs.