To nap or not to nap

Ah, those glorious days when I could waste a good hour or more on a nap. Simply because it was gray outside. Or my ambitious efforts at sorting mail and paperwork had really tuckered me out.

Now I’ve got the world’s least nappingest baby (yes, it could be a word). We have to trick her into it. A ride in the stroller or simply putting her in her coat can sometimes do the trick. And very rarely she’ll nod off in the day and even more rarely in her crib. She does sleep through the night, and this is a no small thing considering how tough some of those first weeks were.

Now whenever she actually does nap I’m faced with a dilemma. Should I use this precious time to nap myself or try to take care of the million things that I never seem to get done? One afternoon after picking her up from the sitter’s she was still passed out in her stroller seat. But hunger was getting the better of me and I heated up my quiche and ate that along with a yogurt and apple. Of course, the minute I stepped into the kitchen, Chat-chat started meowing the most annoying of his meows- the one that can peel paint and make me want to strangle him with a chain of Twistie ties. And once I clear my plate, he’s up on the table in the moment it takes me to turn my head, ready to lick any small crumb of food.

Yes, we could say I’m having a conflictual relationship with Chat-chat at the moment. My cuddly feelings toward him have definitely decreased since baby was born. And to think that before baby was even a real idea to me, I found it hard to imagine loving something more than the cat. Or that I cried my eyes out in front of the vet when he was recovering from that balcony fall two weeks before baby was born. Now we spend most of our “quality” time like this:

Chat-chat (CC): Meow meow!!!
Me: Shut up!
CC: more insistant meowing and darting into the kitchen
Me: GRggghhhhh, shut the %*#! up!

It’s not pretty, I know, but when he jumps on the counter at every occasion, I just get a little annoyed.

Anyway, meal cleared away, I had this gnawing conscience telling me to do the dishes from last night. Yes, I let them sit overnight quite a lot (read: all the time). And even though it’s tempting fate to keep doing chores while baby graced me with her nap, I figured I’d be happier waking to a clean sink. That task accomplished, I settled down on the couch like a kid trying to sneak home after curfew. Baby was still sleeping and had been for an hour. I just knew she’d open those blue eyes the moment I closed my hazel ones.

Chat-chat took his cue and snuggled up on the blanket next to me. I have to say this for him, he has the uncanny ability to know when we’re napping and come keep us warm and cozy. This time he really went all out, snuggling next to my arms so I could use him as a live stuffed animal. And about 30 minutes later, baby woke up. But it was enough of a little snooze to have re-energized me a bit. And it gave me a chance to, temporarily, make peace with Chat-chat. Until the next time he licks the frying pan.