Storms

To say that my Maddie deals with change poorly is quite an understatement.

We went to Grandma's house over the weekend, a four hour trek to NJ on Saturday morning and a four hour trek back on Sunday afternoon. She *did* sleep in her pack-n-play, which was a miracle, and she did sleep in the car, which was another miracle, but by Sunday afternoon, Jesus was all out of miracles, and all hell broke loose. Sunday night was spent with Maddie screaming and writhing until she finally fell asleep out of exhaustion.

Monday. Back to routine. Better.

Tuesday. No nap. God help us all.

Evidently Ms. B and Ms. T both were assigned lunch break at the same time - right when the kids were going down for their nap. Doesn't that already sound like a recipe for disaster?! Mr. Robert came in to watch the kids. Were the other kids fazed? No. Maddie? Of course. She was willing to lie on her cot, but was she going to close her eyes or let down her guard with a strange man lurking in her room? Are you kidding me? She spent the entire 2 hour nap time glaring at him from her cot and daring him to come within 10 feet of her sleeping area. By the time I picked her up from daycare, the bags under her eyes were so big from the strain of staying awake that I knew at one glance that she hadn't napped at all.

"Oh she'll sleep so well tonight!" Ms. B exclaimed!
"She'll go right down!" Ms. T.

Optimists.
I let out a half hearted laugh that sounded far more sarcastic than I meant it to be - and
wrestled my already writhing child into the car.
Where she screamed the whole way home.
And screamed when I tried to feed her.
Screamed when I tried to bathe her.
Screamed when I tried to dress her.
Screamed when I tried to read to her.
Screamed when the cats ran away from her.
Screamed when I looked at her...

Hiccuped when I held her in my arms and walked around the room.
Gave in when I sang to her.
Curled up in a ball in her crib when I pet her head and stroked her hair.
Sucked her thumb when I whispered that I loved her.
Closed her eyes because she knew she was safe and that I was watching over her.