David has given up his nap.

When Rose did this at almost three, John and I freaked out. We tore our hair out trying to get her down. I have one particularly vivid memory of doing the whole routine—books, songs, rockings, pat, pat, pat—and then strolling her around for an hour before she finally conked out. We were freaking because we needed the time off, and she was a total wreck when she didn't nap.

We still need the time off, but David doesn't seem to miss the sleep. Sure he can get grumpy or sort of low energy and if you throw him in the car around 1:00 he'll probably fall asleep, but even without those two hours, he's basically his same cheerful self all the way until bedtime which, if you make the window, goes incredibly smoothly because he's dang tired.

The transition happened fast. Once nursing to sleep stopped working, I had a couple days of dropping him in his crib and letting him scream while I took a 20 minute break. Then I tried "Ok, you entertain yourself, I'm having my rest." That worked the day he went through John's bureau drawer and played with the jewelry while I dozed on the bed or the time he actually hung out in his room and looked through his books, but recently he's been announcing "No, Mommy nap!" And making his case with lots of grabbing, whining, and yelling.

Which is how I ended up dozing to the sounds of "Ciao Bob!" My bed was inches away, but no, he needed to be sitting on my lap to watch the show.

You know that feeling when you desperately need to sleep and you are almost there, but you are in an awkward position, and something keeps prodding you awake? Torture is too strong a word given our times but crazy making for sure.

Then half an hour later, John came home, I got some sleep and the energy to cope with Rose's end of school anxiety.