Twinfamy

the epic blog of a father of twins

Dictwinary #4 – Nap Overlap

August 5, 2011

Nap O•ver•lap

[NAP O-ver-lap]

proper noun

The rare, sought-after occurrence (especially among stay-at-home parents) of orchestrating all of one’s children to nap simultaneously, awarding the ecstatic parent the opportunity to do whatever he or she desires…at least for a little while. Often punctuated and commemorated with celebratory acts such as Twinfamy’s “Holy Crap, a Nap Overlap” Shuffle.

Gregory Peck as Captain Ahab — A weathered father remains vigilant for a Nap Overlap opportunity.

Due to an unwelcome household visit from the fabled Teething Fairy, the ever-elusive Nap Overlap had now become the stay-at-home father’s White Whale–his obsession–while his tiny first mates alternated between laughing in his exhausted face and wailing along with the Sirens just off the rocky coast.

Moby Dick or The White Whale — This ingested lifeboat symbolizes the father’s shattered hopes of catching 15 minutes of a television show that does not feature singing puppets, eating a lunch that does not come out of a wrapper, or even just zoning out at the wall zombie-style for a few minutes.

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If not, watch out for those Sirens on your way out. They sing a killer rendition of “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

Almost gets me every time.

I always escape singing “Mama mia, let me go.”

Categories: Dictwinary, Family, Grammar, Humor, Hyperreality, Parenting, SAHD, Stay At Home Dad, Twins

Tags: “Holy Crap a Nap Overlap” Shuffle, baby laugh, Captain Ahab, daughter, dictionary, Dictwinary, disappointment, eating, family, father of twins, first mates, Gregory Peck, laugh, laughing, lifeboat, lunch, Moby Dick, nap, Nap Overlap, napping, naptime, new parent, SAHD, Sesame Street, singing puppets, Sirens, son, stay at home dad, Teething Fairy, television, twins, wall, White Whale, wrapper, zombie, zombie-style, zoning out

4 responses to “Dictwinary #4 – Nap Overlap”

Daddy’s in Charge?

August 6, 2011 at 4:46 pm

I used to live for getting one child to nap… I can’t imagine two and the joy you must feel when they both are asleep, and the agony when you hear the first one start crying.

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1. John Pseudonymous
  
  August 6, 2011 at 7:23 pm
  
  Yeah, from about 4 1/2 to 6 months old, I could usually count on at least one Nap Overlap per day, but with them teething hard the last few weeks, I’ve instead come to expect gum-gnawing on my fingers and Frankenstein moans from one while the other’s asleep pretty much all day–as if they’ve somehow decided to take turns with me.
  
  So lately, simultaneous napping has become more of a utopian ideal to shoot for than anything else. But it’s a battle worth fighting because when I actually do get them both down, it’s like “THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT! THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT!”
  
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lovethebadguy

August 6, 2011 at 5:50 pm

…What’s wrong with singing puppets?

;)

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1. John Pseudonymous
  
  August 6, 2011 at 8:09 pm
  
  Absolutely nothing, in moderation.
  
  I’m a huge fan of Sesame Street and the Muppets in general. They’re highly entertaining and I thoroughly enjoy watching them with the kids. That being said, by no means do we do the “TV as babysitter” thing. It’s usually only 15-20 minute blocks and I’ll even sit with them and ask them questions about it, too, making it more interactive than passive. I think it’s important for them to have real, active experiences versus sitting and consuming, but I do like the opportunity for them to learn about the world and see images they wouldn’t normally see while also giggling at the novelty of talking furry monsters.
  
  Sesame Street is also particularly well-written and even has funny nods to parents with jokes only they would get.
  
  All of this I like.
  
  However, when it’s all you’ve watched for several days and you find yourself involuntarily and spontaneously belting out “Elmo’s Song” as if under a spell and even start writing and performing your own verses, I’d say moderation has slipped away a bit.
  
  That’s why we need Nap Overlap. We can’t afford to lose Daddy’s sanity.
  
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