"Shut Up!"

Cate, who will be five years' old next month, hates taking naps. What kid at that age likes taking naps? We have been dragging it out as long as possible.

A little backstory: The kids' week is mixed between the two sets of grandparents' homes while we work. We know we're blessed to have such a wonderful opportunity to have family willing to watch our kids in lieu of sending them to traditional daycare or having one of us stay at home. It has so many more advantages than disadvantages, but some inconsistencies between the daycare experiences happen. One of which is the opinion of "to nap or not to nap."

We were in the car this weekend going from point A to point B, when Cate asked whether she could watch a movie. I responded there was not going to be a movie that day because she needed to take a nap before the party that evening. She exclaimed how she didn't want to take a nap. My reply to her was that, when she goes to kindergarten (which is this fall), she will no longer have to take naps, but until then, she will still have to take a nap. Needless to say, she was not happy. And, in my defense, after some resistence, she still ended up taking a two-hour sleeping nap.

Here's what happened today...my mother called me at work to tell me about a special new phrase my daughter dared to say. Apparently, they were on the way home from Tiny Tots and Cate explained to my mom, "Momma says when I turn five, I don't have to take naps anymore." To which my mom responded, "Well, that might be at your house, but at my house, you will still take a nap if I think you need one." Cate protested and Mom must've come back with something Cate really didn't want to hear, so what did the little girl say to my mom?: "SHUT UP!" A phrase she has never uttered before.

Mom was so shocked that she stopped the car in the middle of the street. She looked back at Cate and said, "Don't you ever, EVER say that to me again! I will tell you mom what you just said to me." Cate pleaded, "No! don't tell my momma!" Cate looked mournful the rest of the way home.

I guess Cate and I will have an interesting follow-up conversation tonight...