I totally agree. With most things, it's really not so hard working around a nap schedule, especially now as there's more time between naps. And doing so makes for a much happier baby and less stress on me! Given the choice between grocery-shopping with a baby who is shrieking or crying and throwing herself around in the cart versus a wide-eyed chattering baby who is having fun looking at (and trying to grab) groceries as we go by, I'll take the second. As for dinner at friend's houses... sometimes I bring her and the pack 'n' play along and put her to bed in a back bedroom. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.