No Nap Vincent

Normally Vince is really good about naps and bedtime.  He naps for 2-3 hours a day and I love it!  Joel on the other hand naps for 1.5 hours and I wish it was longer.  I love my children dearly, but when they nap at the same time I can get so much done and not stay up until all hours of the night working on things.  The other day Joel woke up from a his nap about 20 minutes after Vince went down for his nap.  Joel and I were downstairs enjoying some time together when Vince decided he wasn't taking a nap and he was going to play with us.  Vince refusing to take a nap doesn't happen very often and at first it doesn't seem like a bad idea, but about 4-5pm it become evident he really needs a nap.

Around 4pm Vince was hungry and asking for more snacks.  He had already had an apple and something else and I told him he needed to wait for dinner.  Vince was unhappy because Joel was having a banana, but Joel didn't get an apple earlier with Vince.  I was trying to order Christmas cards and I walked away from the whining.  The whining quickly stopped and I was grateful.  Then I heard a little voice asking me if I wanted his sticker.  The only way Vince could have a sticker was if he had an apple.  The only way he could reach the apples in the fridge was to drag a stool to the fridge, climb on top and open the fridge door.  Which explains why the whining stopped, Vince was too busy doing what he wanted and not listening to me.  I quickly told Vince not to eat the apple and he quickly took a bite!  As you can imagine I was not happy.  As I was walking him to the time out chair Vince dropped to the floor and refused to get in the chair.  I went to pick him up to put him in the time out chair when I heard Joel chattering away in the kitchen.  Joel was on top of the stool in front of the fridge and he was trying to open the door.  If he opened the door he would knock himself off the stool.  The baby gate between the kitchen and the dining room was closed!  I left Vince on the floor and took off to rescue Joel, who didn't think he needed any rescuing.  Sometimes I wonder if they plan this all out..."Joel I am going to get an apple if I get in trouble you escape from your highchair and climb on the stool so Mom forgets about giving me a time out.  I will let you have the apple core if you help me."  I am probably just paranoid, but I wonder sometimes.  Don't worry, Vince still got his time out and he didn't get his apple until after dinner and he had to share with the rest of us.
 
The problem with no nap Vincent is he is usually pretty happy, but he stops listening and he starts negotiating even more than usual.  He can negotiate with the best of them and he is extremely strong willed.  I have learned to deal with Vince's personality, but when he hasn't had a nap he is mentally exhausting!  Hopefully the nap boycotting does not become a regular ordeal.  I am not ready for him to give up naps.