This morning, she only cried for about 3 minutes before falling asleep so it wasn't that traumatic, but the woke up 30 minutes later. I had to keep my mom from picking her up several times before she eventually snuck in and picked her up. I tried letting her cry it out a few more times, but my mom would NOT have it...she'd let her cry for 5 minutes then go in and get her. This is why it is imperative that we really do this starting Saturday when my mom leaves for San Diego for a month (which I'm super nervous about). Tonight, after my mom went to bed, Brad and I laid her down for her early evening nap and she cried for 5 minutes at first...fell asleep and then woke up again 15 minutes later...again screaming bloody murder. 15 minutes later (although it felt like 15 hours later) she fell asleep and has been asleep since. I swear - I don't think my husband has a soul...only because it doesn't seem to bother him that she is screaming at the top of her lungs!
My girlfriend Nikki told me that their personalities come through early on and if that's the case, then I am hosed. Allie has this cry that lasts forever like she is determined to not give in...and it gets increasingly intense - as if she believes it with her whole body - crying with everything she's got from the top of her head to the tips of her toes...she's got my stubborness and strong will. My mom tells me stories of when I was younger...I was obsessed with McDonald's (who wasn't?) We were driving from Athens, TN to Knoxville (about an hour drive) and when we passed McD's in Athens I begged them to stop. When they didn't, I cried...with all my heart and soul...all the ways to Knoxville...I was only 3 or 4. Yikes...
But we're getting there, slowly but surely. Parenthood has so many different lessons...lessons that I wasn't expecting. I was prepared for the lack of sleep, the dirty diapers - heck - even the vomit in the hair (which happened today...MY HAIR...that ran down to my toes hitting almost everything in between), but I was not prepared to have to sit back and hear my sweet baby girl cry herself to sleep and not go in and rescue her!! But I am slowly learning this lesson!
On a lighter note...
During her wake time today, I was having difficulty keeping her awake...so we decided to play dress up. My mom went out and bought her 3 Christmas outfits...and they are too adorable for words. I can't post those pics yet as we are going to use them for Christmas cards...but they are adorable! I had a few more outfits that she is starting to outgrow...so I decided to dress her up on those! She was not particularly happy with me...and I can see now that she is NOT the girly girl...
And the girls poor hairline...she's losing all of her baby hair on top, but the hair on the sides and back are growing out...she reminds me of Johnny Depp's character in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas...at least his hair anyway...Come on...see it?
And these are a few of the many pictures I took...My mom and I had a lot of fun dressing her up and taking pictures...I haven't laughed that hard in a LONG time!! You'll understand when I post the Christmas pictures...
Alright ladies and gents...I'm off to sleep...at least until my little monster wakes up again!!
Girl... Anthony and I STILL fight about how he can just let her scream. I can't do it. I can let her cry for about 5 minutes but if it escalates into a full out tantrum, I can't do it. I have to go calm her down. It's especially hard for the moms, I think, because we know that if we just go an pick her up, she'll stop crying. It's such a easy fix... so why not? I understand letting them self soothe, but when it's just not happening, I HAVE to go help. I mean, that's my job -- I'm her Mama! So, I totally understand where you're coming from!
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