Nap Time!

Hello, my name is Daisy and I am a Nap-aholic. 

Alas, it is true.  I am a 33-year-old, mother of three, and I find sheer joy in passing out on my couch every afternoon.  There.  I said it.  And the proverbial weight has been lifted. 

So, when did my nap addiction begin?  I really can't put my finger on it.  I never napped much until I went to college.  Of course, at that point in time, my very late nights (or early mornings, however you want to look at it) required short day-time sleeps for survival.  I would actually try to schedule my classes so that I didn't have anything from 1-3 p.m. every day.  And if that didn't work, well, there was always the back row of the class. 

I think, though, that my real love of napping started when I was pregnant with Mario.  I was so tired all the time.  Come on, Moms, you can back me up on this one. Growing another human is a lot of work!  So, I did a lot of napping.  Then, when Mario was born, he was so sweet and snuggly that it was just so easy to swaddle him up, relax in the rocking chair and doze all afternoon.  As Mario got older, he continued to be an excellent napper, which meant that I, too, was able to snooze after lunch.  Plus, everyone told me when I became a Mommy to nap when he naps!  Who am I not to listen to sound advice?

Fast forward to the arrivals of Luigi and Peach.  Luigi was NOT much of a sleeper.  He still isn't.  Which meant he was up a lot at night, which in turn, meant that I required a daily nap just to make it through a day without biting someone's head off or falling asleep at the wheel.  When Peach came along, we actually nicknamed her the Little Sleeping Pill.  Pretty much everyone that held her would settle themselves into the couch, and smell her sleepy little baby head, and instantly fall into a coma.  It's a fact.  Even today, I still get sucked in by her at bedtime and often drift off in bed with her. 

Which brings us to now.  None of my Goombas nap anymore.  This brings me great distress.  Bowser says that I am a grown-up and should not nap anymore.  He claims I should use my time in the afternoons to "get something done around the house."  Phooey.  How can I get anything done when our big, fluffy, soft sofa is calling my name?  Plus, Luigi has night terrors and Peach has become afraid of the dark, so really I am not getting a full night sleep even now.  I'm gonna go ahead and call survival mode again.  As the Zaz and the Pop will tell you, I NEED a specific number of hours of sleep per day, or I become a raging psycho.  We wouldn't want that to happen, now would we?

So, yes.  I am a Nap-aholic.  I think that if naptime were required (as in countries like Italy and Spain) that our world would be a happier place.  I also refuse to put an age-limit on napping.  Whether you are 3 months, 3 years, 30 years or more, if you find a cozy spot (in a sunny window is best!) I say you jump on that opportunity...  Yawn...  Snuggle in with your blankie...  And carpe di-nap-em...  Night-night.

Cheers!
~Daisy