Two things

This past month, as the littles get closer to age 3 (eeeeek) I have noticed 2 things that are going by the wayside that kind of make me sad. 

The first is baths.  The boys have taken baths together (all 3 at once, and often all 4) ever since they were about 5 months old and not even able to sit up (this pic was in July 09).  They have a great time...playing, splashing, giggling...but it has gotten way too nuts.  I am worried that someone will fall and bust a head, lose a tooth, or any number of other scary and dangerous things.  The past few weeks I have been showering them one at a time.  They love hanging out in the warm water, and I think they love being by themselves.  But I kind of miss them all together in the tub.  At least the idea of it.  Kind of like I missed the idea of them all sleeping in the same bed (they slept in the same bed until they were about 4 months old).  My babies are growing up...

And the second has a bit more impact on life...and that is the naps that are stopping, and for real this time.  For the past 6 weeks they have been not falling asleep for a good hour to hour and a half after I put them in bed at naptime.  My general rule has been that they go down around 115, and I won't let them get out of bed until 3.  If they fall asleep and are awake by 3, then I get them up, or if they don't go to sleep at all, I get them up at 3.  But I always make sure to wake them up by 4, in case they fall asleep really late (like 245).  At any rate, this month it has not been uncommon for them to fall asleep until 230, and several days that have not fallen asleep at all.  This past week C hasn't napped 5 of the 7 past days (granted, it has been nutty with Christmas and family).  Some of those days I had planned on them not napping, but other days it was their own decision.  The good news is that we still have the peapods, so they are trapped in their beds so they still have "quiet" time.  Really what happens is they all laugh and talk and play...I don't exactly know.  It is really nice at night, though, because they pass out when we put them in bed at 730.  And they haven't been total trainwrecks, either, so that is good (except this past week with missing soooo many naps).   

We'll see how it all plays out...Z stopped napping at this exact same age, so I have been expecting it.  And in some ways it really is kind of nice to not be tied down to naps.  Kind of strange though...we have been tied to the house from 1-330 for the past 6 years.  To not HAVE to be home and have naptime....very strange.  We will certainly have quiet time for another few years, even if we have to separate them into different rooms when we get rid of the peapods, because heaven knows, Mama needs a break!  We'll see how this trend continues!