anatomy of a (short) nap

Ahhhhh...peace. Peace and quiet and nothing but the white-noise of the room fan. A mellow blissed-out cat beside me, snuggled into my pillows, everything's getting softer and rounder around the edges and there's a hollowness to my thought patterns...zzzonk.

Except. Except what was that? The bed moved. And then again.

Eyes still closed, I registered reluctantly the second bump! had been the cat jumping down huffily, which meant the first....

"Hi Mama. I can't sleep in my bed." Flinging her blankie over my head, she climbed over me and sprawled out.

I reluctantly opened one eye. "Hi."

"I 'member, Mama. I sleep in your bed if I quiet and not move around a lot."

Had I promised her that?? Really?? Oy, she was here now.

I turned my face back into my pillow. "G'night, Rosey."

"G'night, Mama."


Peace. Peace and quiet and nothing but the white-noise of the room fan. Ah, bliss.

Except. Except the foot in my ribs. Girlie was listing to the side off her pillows.
Straightening her up, I yawned and said (mildly for someone who had now been woken up twice) "Mama's sleepy, Rosey. Lie still and naptime, okay?"

"Okey-dokey, Mama." Then she sealed the deal by patting my shoulder. Vigorously.

Wham! Pat pat pat pat pat.

Leaving behind any real hope of sleep, I sat up in bed. I frowned. I opened my mouth...

and she spoke.

"No send me back! I be quiet now." She curled into a shrimp-like ball, thumb in mouth, blankie in fist.

And
was
still.


With September -and school - fast approaching, I wonder how many more times she and I will nap together. And how on earth did Cass got so big so fast and she grew up without me noticing?