Tuesday, June 06, 2006

The Fight of the Century

I'm going to set up a camera and start selling tickets on Pay-per-View...

Muhammed Ali has nothing on Betsy. This little girl can fight. Naptime has become a gladiator arena now that I'm trying to get Betsy to nap without having to be nursed to sleep. She is not in favor of this change. I just spent nearly an hour literally wrestling with her while she screamed and sobbed and thrashed and bit (yes, bit!). We rocked in the rocking chair. I offered her a bottle with some water in it. I offered her a pacifier. We layed on the floor with her favorite pillow and blanket. Nothing mattered. I put her in her crib. She kicked, screamed, rolled around, climbed up and reached out for me. I picked her up and walked her between her room and our bedroom. She continued to thrash and scream. Finally, I gave up, put her in her crib with a pacifier and a teddy bear, walked out and shut the door. Then I flopped down on my bed, tried not to cry, and prayed. I've never literally wanted to pull my hair out...until today.

She continued to scream for about two more minutes. I peeked in, making sure she didn't see me. She was sitting there, whining a little, playing with her pacifier. She had moved the teddy bear to the opposite corner of her crib. While I watched she suddenly flopped down onto her side, let out a whimper, and fell sound asleep. She literally "fell" asleep. I just checked on her and she is out cold laying exactly the way she fell.

I would never have imagined in a million years that I, a compliant first child who rarely got in trouble because I wanted so much to please my parents, and my husband, an easy-going youngest child who is ever the objective diplomat, would produce a fiery, passionate, iron-willed little girl like our Elizabeth Leah Ruth!

Once I have the chance to sit down and catch my breath after battling it out, though, I remember that she's been going down for naps pretty well in the past couple days and that she is finally sleeping over an hour at least twice a day instead of 45 minutes at a time 4 times a day. And, miracle of miracles, she slept from 11:30 until after 9 am last night. I actually woke up on my own, feeling rested for the first time in many months. So I know the battles are worth it. This won't last forever.

It won't, right?

In my prayers I am putting in a request for a super laid-back second child. If baby number two is a fighter too I may have to hire a nanny...or be committed. :)

But it isn't all naptime battles, really...

Betsy is really at a fun age...the most fun so far. She's curious about everything, especially little tiny things: cottonwood puffs, little sticks, leaves, and low-flying bumblebees. She loves to point at the moon which has been rising in the early evening while we're out enjoying the warm dusk.

She'll eat anything and loves to try to feed herself. She's crawling everywhere, standing by herself for a few seconds at a time, and pulling up to stand on anything that will support her. She recently climbed up seven stairs with no help--just Daddy sitting behind to catch her when she'd slip. She loves to look at pictures of babies and has a specific squeal reserved just for showing her delight about them. She thinks it's funny to crawl inside the mesh clothes hamper. Shoes are great to bang on the floor. She drinks water out of a glass like a pro. She announces "kitty" every time the cat comes into the room and sets off to chase her. She loves taking rides in the stroller, happily singing and bouncing one leg until the motion makes her too sleepy and then she drifts off.

She's a beautiful, precious little gal. The fights are worth it. The blessings are overwhelming.

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