I arrived home today to find both kids with eyes closed tightly. Afternoon naps are always a little problematic because neither one of them really wants to get up. The Boy resorts to fussing; the Girl just steadfastly refuses. It doesn’t matter what’s for dinner; it doesn’t matter who’s just arrived; it doesn’t matter period. Neither wants to get up.

“How long will the grilling take?” K asked as the dinner hour approached.

“About twenty minutes.”

“I’ll start waking them up in ten, then.” And even then, by the time dinner was on the table, they were both still virtually asleep.

Then, as the sun closes up shop for the day, the second half of the trouble begins: neither of them is especially tired.

We do what we can to tire them beforehand. I took the kids on the trampoline for a while and then played soccer with the Boy as the Girl skated about the driveway.

Still, when it came time to go to sleep, E was just jabbering away.