goodbye nap..

I'm going to take a deep breath before I write this blog because it's been a tough week here in more ways than one. Isabella is officially a big girl and has decided on her own (or more accurately with her friends) that she no longer needs to be napping. Ahh, I knew this day was coming but I really didn't need it to come this week. When I am taking care of four kids on about four hours of sleep every night. Here is how the story goes..
I picked Bella up from school on Tuesday and she told me that one of her friends is still sleeping in her parents bed every night. Interesting is my response to her. I also look her in the eye, and reply "Don't get any ideas. I sleep in my own bed. You sleep in your own bed." I don't believe in co-sleeping with my children. I love them but when I'm sleeping, I want to be sleeping. Without anyone touching me.
The next day I pick her up from school. She immediately announces that she isn't going to be taking naps anymore because taking naps is for babies and she isn't a baby. Her friend doesn't have to take naps anymore and Isabella 1)is older than her friend 2)sleeps in her own bed all night 3)isn't a baby. I mean really do these kids not talk about My Little Pony and Barbie Dolls anymore?! For the love..I put all the kids down for their naps and fought the girls for over 1.5 hours. I say "girls" because my dear five year old kept waking up or sending her three year old sister to the door to check if it was time to wake up. Pretty nice of her, huh? I thought my head was going to pop off and fly in to outer space I was so furious. We had another long discussion about napping and decided that if she wanted to try not napping that was fine. However, she will be attending all day kindergarten, five days a week next year (it's required by the state, not my personal choice) and is required to have a 45 minute rest period after lunch. She doesn't have free reign of the house during nap time and is required to stay in the toy room for the entire two hour period. I do not stay in there with her and she isn't permitted to come out and speak to me. I know this probably sounds harsh but our house is very open and echos and all four bedrooms are upstairs. It gets really loud, really quickly. Also, this has been really hard on Amelia. She is completely heartbroken that Isabella isn't napping anymore and I don't want her to think she's doing whatever she wants while everyone else is stuck napping.
The transition is going as I expected it would. There have been some bumps and we're still working them out but I know we'll get there. This really just isn't the way I would have preferred to handle things.