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Through trial and error, I have learned that cutting out naps and forcing kids to stay up later does NOT aid in deeper sleep, it makes them over tired, and it's much harder to settle them once they get that second wind from being over tired. I disagree with the users who have told you to give your child less nap time. There is a really great book that helped us a lot, Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, it is really great, I love Dr Weissbluth's methods. He gives you outlines for letting your baby cry it out, or if you want to soothe them and not let them cry.   I recommend your baby being put in his own room at night. Once babies are a bit older, they become more aware of sounds especially your sleeping sounds  and presence in the room at night, and it wakes them up. If you don't have 2 rooms, maybe you can wheel his crib out of your room when you are ready to go to bed, and just have the living room darkened. It really makes a difference having them in their own room. Also, try white noise, a fan on low, or a c.d. with white noise effects, it helps soothe.   If a nap is dropped naturally, it will be the morning nap, because the child is getting more sleep at night, and therefore is not worn out or tired until the afternoon. If your child normally takes three naps per day, then dropping the third nap, and moving the bedtime earlier may help, but don't cut out the afternoon nap, all you will get is an over tired baby.