Isabella is in the crib in the room i grew up in.
she has a bottle ("Bah-no!"), and no less than four pacis ("papis") with her.
it’s naptime. and we need her to nap before we leave for the airport.
but she’s screaming. bloody murder. so it’s not easy. on any of us.
the husband and i – much to my mother’s dismay – are letting her cry. finally. after an entire week of picking her up when she cries, an entire week of not napping or sleeping, we’ve had enough.
the girl is going to sleep, damnit.
("Ali, do you want me to go and pick her up? she’s so pitiful" Thanks, Mom. that’s helping tons)
this is what i hate about traveling. the disruption of routine.
at home, she’d sleep. i know she’d sleep. and if she’d fuss, we’d let her fuss a little bit. no, this isn’t a post about the wonders of CIO and how i’m the poster girl for it. i’m not, trust me. but, the child is 18 months old +, she can cry a little bit and it won’t hurt her. (my mother may can social services on me, though. she does not take to crying well at all.)
("Are you sure you don’t just want to bring her down? then she’ll sleep on the plane?" the plane? what child of mine ever slept on an airplane? oh yeah…not a single stinkin’ one of ’em.)
when you are sleeping in someone else’s house. and some of you are doubled up in rooms (in this case, miss emily and miss isabella are sharing) letting the baby cry isn’t really an option. it’s not fair to everyone else. so, it’s a total catch 22. you know if you just let her cry for a little bit, she’ll go to sleep, but you’ll probably have to wake up everyone else in the house to do so.
so, we’re at the end of our rope. it’s the middle of the day. there are no guests around. and my mom’s just going to have to deal.
and like that…after a good 30 minutes of crying….she’s asleep.
ah, sweet, sweet sleep.
too bad we are leaving in 15 minutes.
crikey.
Song of the day: Suddenly I See by KT Tunstall
Video of the day: the husband sent me this. i couldn’t stop laughing. it could possibly be the four cups of wine on passover or the fact that i’m delirious from lack of sleep….but days later…it’s still funny!
Uh yeah…we planned on spending a week at my father-in-law’s in Florida last month; lasted two nights! I have trouble with CIO at the best of times, but at 2am in an open concept condo, with brother-in-law, father-in-law and my own two boys sleeping within earshot, I couldn’t deal. My 21 month old ended up in bed between husband and I, and nobody slept. It’s so hard to enjoy your vacation when everyone’s sleep deprived. Fortunately, we had an empty condo in South Carolina that we went back to. Everyone slept much better and could relax and enjoy the holiday! Of course my FIL thinks we’re nuts!
I’m like your mom…could never do the crying it out thing. Now I have an almost 8 year old who can’t sleep through the night…more power to yah, sista.
Ooo…I love Suddenly I See — the goodbye-contestant song for So You Think You Can Dance. LOVE.
Oi…I can’t believe you let your daughter cry herself to sleep. YOU HORRIBLE MOTHER! 😉 Hee. You need at least one narsty comment (even if it’s just a joke), right! I’m so glad you’re home and can get back to your normal routine — because I KNOW WHAT IT”S LIKE!
My little one wouldn’t go down for her nap yesterday and she had to sleep before I took her to my mom’s… the 1/2 hour sleep she would get on the way there just wouldn’t cut it. Finally, after CIO failed to work (in her defence, I was putting her down about an hour earlier than usual and the other two were wired and noisy), I got her dressed, made her a bottle and my husband drove her around in the car until she fell asleep and then read the paper in the car with a coffee until it was time to go. She arrived at our Easter dinner rested and delightful!
hi Ali i know its so much fun visiting family with toddlers especially disrupting their routines just makes a persons day huh?bet you’re glad to be home. i love that song of the day.
Preaching to the choir, after a weekend of nearly no sleep at my parents.
All I can say is I feel your pa..
zzz…