No More Nap Skipping

It's not so bad when one misses a nap but when three miss a nap, it's HORRIBLE!

We decided to take Madelyn to church today for her first visit knowing we would only last through Sunday School and that would probably be it b/c of nap times. The boys have never taken good naps at church. They might fall asleep there but it's short. I don't think one has ever napped more than 20 minutes, if that.

Well, Today we put Nate and Andrew in the nursery and took Madelyn with us to Sunday School. She was a silly girl and smiled and laughed and showed off. We had to carry her out of the room during prayer b/c of noises she was making with her nose. Then when the lesson started, Tony took her out again b/c she was making more noises. They came back and she was distracting us from the Bible lesson and we were worried she was distracting others that I went ahead and took her onto the nursery and stayed in there.

The boys were exhausted when I got in there. If they make it to 10am without a nap, they are dragging and we pushed them until almost 11. When we left we hoped they would stay awake until we got home but they didn't. That meant short nap again b/c once they fall asleep in the van, that's it. Either we keep driving or give up on any more napping when we get home b/c they wake up carrying them to the crib. Sure enough, short naps. Madelyn didn't fall asleep so after feeding her, we got her down for a nap but that ended up being her only one for the day. The boys only took one more short nap b/c it was off schedule. They HAVE to stay on a morming routine nap schedule AND an afternoon nap or else by the evening they are the most irritable children you've ever seen.

When they get off schedule, it ruins their day and ours. They are too tired, cry about everything, and drives me insane. They are now in the bed, all three, before 6:30 tonight, but not asleep. Hopefully they'll give it up and go to sleep. I think Madelyn might have already fallen asleep. She was even irritable too and wouldn't finish any bottles today completely.

There's a reason why you don't see higher order multiples at church. I've been going to church all my life and I think I've only seen one set of triplets ever at church and that was an evening weeknight program. It's impossible unless there are more adults to help out.

Also, parents shouldn't have to sit in the parking lot and come up with a plan for getting all kids inside a building. There wasn't room for strollers so our plan was for Tony to crawl into the back of the van, take Nate and Andrew out of their carseats and I held both of them at the same time and carried them inside. That wasn't easy. They total over 48 lbs. Then Tony unbuckled Madelyn and carried her in. I couldn't crawl into the back of the van with a skirt on. No more dresses or skirts for me to church for a while.

Tony and I may have to start taking turns going to church with Logan until the twins and Madelyn are older and can skip the morning nap or at least push it a little longer out. Our kids were half of the nursery this morning (3 out of 6 were ours). I feel bad b/c we are the reason why more nursery workers miss Sunday School class.

I love my children more than anything else, but I am so thankful for bedtime.