Cara Bambina - Busy Weekends

Cara bambina,

We have had some very busy weekends lately, and you've been handling them like a champ! Last weekend, we drove down to your Grandma and Grandpa's (your dad's parents') Friday night, and you did really well in the car. This was mostly because we left only an hour before your bedtime, and you were able to handle an hour and fall asleep (thanks to a bottle given while in your carseat). You transferred right into the Pack and Play Grandma had set up, and we couldn't have been happier, especially because it was 1:45 in the morning! You slept until after 6:00 the next morning, and that was such a relief.

On Saturday, you played happily in the morning, eat a good breakfast and even went down pretty well for a nap. I was again surprised about how well you transferred into the Pack and Play. I was expecting it to be a nightmare, using the Pack and Play, since the last couple of times you tried to nap in one at your aunt's (my sister's) house you would not sleep in it. But lo and behold, you did great in the Pack and Play! Was it because this mattress was extra soft? Was it because of the way we transferred you? Was it because of the new PJs or the stuffed animals or the blanket? Oh, how I wish you could tell us so we could repeat everywhere else!

After a surprisingly long nap, you, Grandma and I went out for lunch and shopping. Again, you were so good. You get antsy and want to run around, but you are a toddler, so of course you do! The only tough thing was that you wouldn't sleep in the car from the restaurant to the first store (about a 20 minute drive) or from the first store to the mall (a 30 minute drive) or in the mall (even though I tried the front-facing baby carrier, which you've slept in before). You were exhausted, but would not sleep at those perfect opportunities. Instead, after running all around the last store, you fall asleep on the way back to the house. This was only a 15 minute ride, and it was pretty late and close to dinner time.

I had already given up the idea of an afternoon nap and been planning to just put you to bed early. But you were out like a light. I brought you in the house, and you slept through it even though I didn't try to be quiet. In fact, I tried to wake you once we got in the house, but you just flopped against my shoulder and would not wake. So I put you in the Pack and Play and you slept for another 30 minutes! You had a late-ish dinner, bath and bedtime, but you did go to sleep eventually. You did not sleep through the night that night, and in fact we had a tough night. But once again you were a sweet girl in the morning, because apparently you don't need a good night's sleep to be in a good mood, unlike your parents. You had a reasonable morning nap on Sunday, and after playing for a few more hours with family, your daddy and I got ready to get on the road.

We planned it perfectly. You were obviously really tired and ready for a nap. So we left at 3:30, tucked you in comfy clothes into the carseat, and gave you a bottle as we started out. But you didn't want the bottle, and you didn't want to sleep and you DID NOT want to be restrained in the carseat. This is a known issue, but we couldn't leave any later on a Sunday. Your daddy and I simply can't get home so late and go to sleep at 2:00 AM or later on a night when we have to work the next morning. But it was VERY ROUGH to spent 2.5 hours with you crying, screaming, fussing and generally carrying on while I had a headache verging on a migraine. We tried everything, but nothing would do. The only good thing is that it wasn't non-stop screaming. I wanted nothing more than to hold you and rock you and let you out, but we just couldn't. You were great at the stop we made for dinner, and after that you had a decent nap, but it was not easy to get to that point. And the next person who says to me "But babies usually love car rides" is going to get slapped!

This weekend is the wedding of your Godfather, your daddy's best friend. Today, we had the rehearsal and rehearsal lunch. You were simply wonderful! You actually slept most of the hour-long ride up! It was naptime, and you were so tired that you really did just sleep! You were only a little squirmy while I strolled you through Baltimore to the pier for the rehearsal. Once at the pier, you got to run around on the grassy field where the wedding will be (it's such a fantastic spot for a wedding). And run you did! Luckily, one of daddy's friends's wife helped watch you so I could take the occasional picture of daddy and your Godfather and his friends. She has a two year old, so she knew exactly what to do. And she's always fun for me to hang out with and chat with, so while her husband and your daddy are doing wedding stuff, I'll get to hang out with her tomorrow.

At the restaurant, you filled up on bread and applesauce and did not eat any of the meal I ordered for you. But that's okay, because you were happy. And then, you were extra squirmy. But you did really well overall, and I let you run around another dining room which was empty. We had a lot of fun the whole day, running around and tickling and laughing and showing off your animal noises to everyone around. In fact, we did so much, that you were exhausted on the stroller ride back to the car. Once in the car, you promptly fell asleep and slept the whole way back to our house, which is just a dream come true for your parents.

Tomorrow, you will be at your Grandma's all day. This will be her last time really watching you for a long stretch, so you really need to be good. While she's out running some errands, you must also be good for your aunt who is going to be watching you for a couple of hours. I think she's bringing your niece, so you'll have one last day of playing with her before the nanny starts at our house, watching just you. Daddy and I will be gone all day long, and we will miss you very much. But this is an important day for our good friends, and we are so excited for them.

Next weekend is also going to be crazy busy, with Mother's Day brunch, your cousins' (twins) birthday party, helping your uncle and aunt (my brother and his wife) pack and move and baking with your oldest cousin. The weekend after that, we have a lunch and shopping to do for our upcoming vacation trip. The weekend after that, we are going to the zoo to meet a bunch of really fun mommies, daddies and kids! And the weekend after that, we're going to the beach! I told you our weekends are super busy lately. It would really help us all out if you would sleep through the night regularly again. Pretty please?

Ti amo tutti,
Mama