If there is one thing I have learned in my life it is that there is always give and take in situations.  Momma goes into a long talk about give and take when she brings up nap time.  Besides being good for me, and being a time when I can grow big and strong, she claims nap time is one of those give and take situations.  She claims that it GIVES her some time to do her chores while I TAKE some time to rest.  You know what I think?  I think she TAKES me for a fool.  I think a nap TAKES away my toys and fun time.  Take, take, take…that’s what it feels like to me. GIVE me a break!!   I’m done with it!

In an effort to gain forces for a “nap time coup”, I try to share this revelation with friends when we are playing.  Some get it, some don’t. The other day, I was playing with a new friend.  Because he is months older than I am, I figured he would get this, and would join my plans for the coup.  Sadly, he clearly has been brainwashed by the big people.   We were playing, or rather, I was teaching him, when this came to light.  He had a bunch of rubber mats on the floor, so, of course, I took the opportunity to show him rubber texture and pattern.  I was explaining how rubber mats are also considered rubber flooring, and are used for non-slip purposes.  He blinked at me … a lot. He drooled… a lot.  And he pointed with a questioning inflection… a lot.  His enthusiasm only encouraged me to explain more about rubber textures.

Rubber Mat

Tire from toy

So I moved on to tires, and tire tread, using a nearby toy to illustrate.  When he rubbed his eyes, I knew we had a problem.  After a glance over my shoulder, I grabbed him, shook him a little, and said, “Pull it together!  Work with me here…give me more time or they will take us away to nap!  Give and take man, give and take!! Wipe that drool and pull yourself together!”  Uh-oh.  Noooooo!  His big person commented, “Oh, how sweet! You’re little guy is hugging my little guy!  But it looks like my little guy needs his nap soon.”  No no no!  In a panic, and knowing my new friend was a lost cause, I grabbed a book on colors and thrust it at his big person, asking her to read it, showing a desperate need to learn colors right then and there.  She obliged.  Whew!  Of course, I wasn’t actually going to learn the colors.  I was just buying more time…or TAKING more time.  Next I would insist on GIVING hugs to everyone in the room…five times…each.  Then, I would TAKE all the toys from one end of the room and move them…slowly.  I think I am catching on to this give and take.  I noticed Momma watching me from across the room, certain she was on to me.  When we drive home later, I bet she GIVES me a look and a talk.  Well, then I’ll just TAKE my nap!