Constant chatter

... from the next room for the last 90 minutes. She's supposed to be taking a nap. Where does she get the energy? She's laying in her toddler bed/crib just chatting away. What is she talking about in there anyway? Her creativity is a sign of intelligence but doesn't she need sleep, too, for that brain of hers?

She is teething again - upper molars this time - and that is probably part of the issue. She is drooling everywhere and putting all sorts of stuff in her mouth that never is usually a problem, including her colorful pencil erasers which have been washed and safely tucked away until the molars make their appearance. As a result of stuffing her mouth with God knows what (including rocks from a gravel parking lot. Yes, really. She was too fast for me.), she now has a summer cold from a germ she apparently picked up. It seems mild but since she so rarely gets sick I feel bad for her. And besides, shouldn't being under the weather make her more susceptible to napping? Apparently not.

As I sit here listening, I feel like I've always known that voice. On the other hand, I feel rather fatigued knowing the ball of fire an un-napped 2-1/2 year old, known around here as Amelia, can be in the evenings. And we have somewhere to go tonight - Daddy's outdoor brass band concert - which she would enjoy a whole lot more if she were well rested.

I'm going to go hang some laundry. Maybe when I get back in she'll be asleep. Here's hoping ...