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Last Sunday afternoon, My Sweet Hubby (aka MSH) and I met TLC, Her Hubby, Little Leighton (aka LL aka Biscuit) and Baby Elle (aka Belle) in Willow Park. TLC and Her Hubby were having new carpet installed first thing Monday morning. It’d take all day and would involve both of The Little Princesses' bedrooms and their playroom. They needed to be gone. Grammy and Pa-Pa to the rescue!

TLC had sent everything we needed for LL and Belle. Diapers. Clothes. Lovies. “Guys”—LL’s stuffed animals she travels with and "needs "at bedtime. (These "guys" change up some from trip to trip--but there are at least four that always come to our home...)

Belle has been sleeping in a “half-size” crib at our casa. We bought this crib when LL was about a year old. LL would never sleep in it. (She preferred TLC’s old bed and room.) Belle has slept in and done great in this crib since her first visit here. She was just a few months old. So for over two years. HOWEVER, she’s not getting smaller! She’s getting bigger and longer, etc. I wasn’t sure she’d be comfy in the crib this time. TLC and I decided I’d play it by ear. If it seemed like it wasn’t going to work—I’d try putting her in the bed Biscuit sleeps in. (Which would be an adjustment for Biscuit—as they’ve not ever slept together. Ever.)

That night, after baths, Biscuit went into our master bedroom to watch a Full House or Bunk’d episode on our TV. I tried putting Baby Elle to bed in our second “guest” room and her crib. She wasn’t having it. She was clearly anxious during the reading of her two nighttime story books. She wanted me to read both of them several times. It was quite pitiful and pathetic. She cried. She whimpered. She told me fifty times: “I miss My Mama.” I finally put her in the crib, told her we loved her and everything was "okay," and walked out. Feeling like a HUGE Grammy failure.

An hour later (We were already behind TLC’s normal “bedtime” schedule for both girls.), Belle gave it up and fell asleep. I wasn't worried she was not fitting in the crib. She simply hadn’t been here—without her Mama—in several weeks. Of course, she’s going through Phases and Stages. These growth development periods go on FOREVER, don't they? (Pretty sure MSH is currently in a Phase and/or Stage—at 74. Sigh.)

By the time LL and I went to her bed, she sniffled and whined for her Mom. And told me she was mad at her because she wouldn’t let LL bring “Bamboo”—her stuffed Beanie Panda. (Her Mama let her bring ten guys. Seems like that should have been an adequate number.) Finally, Biscuit gave in to exhaustion. I showered and fell into my bed—praying the next two days would be better in terms of naps and bedtimes.

They both got up way too early Monday morn—but they always do when they’re at our home. We stayed busy, having a good breakfast and lunch. When I put Belle down for her nap (naps for her usually last anywhere from an hour and 15 minutes to almost 2 hours!), she was less anxious. HOWEVER, for over an hour, on the camera monitor, she talked. She sang. She talked some more. Never going to sleep.  I was a big bundle of STRESS. 

As I texted TLC my troubles, she assured me Belle would simply have to go to bed early that night and it’d all be fine.

MSH and I decided I’d get her out of the crib and we’d leave for our trip to town (We were going to the Yogurt Shop and the pet store!) a bit earlier than planned. As I entered the bedroom, I immediately saw Belle’s two pacifiers on the floor by the crib. I knew she’d thrown them over. Then I smelled her second poop diaper of the day. There you go: The two reasons she’d never gone to sleep. God love her.

That night, after baths, getting Belle to bed was a piece o’ cake! She was beyond sleepy/tired/exhausted. So was Biscuit. They both were out cold almost the second they lay their little heads down. Both slept a few minutes later Tuesday morning and were in great moods upon arising—having caught up some on lost sleep.

We played and played Tuesday morning—inside and outside. I got Belle to take a good nap after lunch. We took them all the way home once she woke up. MSH and I wanted to see their new carpet. (Which was simply divine!)

On our way back home that evening, I got to thinking about Belle’s two pacifiers. (She calls them her BaBas. Has since she was about fourteen months old.) She started out with three. She's always had all three in her crib at naptime and bedtime. Sometimes they get lost in the crib. Sometimes they get tossed overboard. For the most part, she ends up with at least one by the time she wakes up.

Two months ago, one of them “disappeared.” TLC decided to do what she’d done with LL’s pacifiers when it was time for her start giving them up: She'd remove one. Then another. Then the last. LL was about three when the last was confiscated. But TLC had started the process when she was about 2 ½. Belle had to start a bit earlier than Biscuit. Chalk that up to The Trials and Tribulations of Being the Second Child.

Anyway, I was thinking about me and my Coke Zeroes and how Belle and I were going through the same “withdrawal.” I’ve been drinking three 16-ounce Coke Zeroes every day for several years. Well, I was drinking three until about two months ago. I made the decision to wean myself off two of them—get down to just one a day. MSH and TLC bug me constantly about how bad they are for me. I get it. They’re right. I’m also aware of how addicted I am to them—as I’ve tried in the past to give them up. It’s torture for me. Pure torture.

I’ve been doing pretty great having just two a day! I've replaced the third with a bottle of water  (I am horrid about drinking water. I confess this and am not proud of it.) and/or a Crystal Light lemonade. The thought of giving up my next CZ? I’m not ready. As I know Belle is not going to be when TLC loses the second pacifier. I literally want to cry for both of us. I want to convince TLC—and MSH—that it’s okay Belle has two pacifiers and that I’m drinking two Coke Zeroes a day. I want to beg them both for patience and kindness and MERCY. It won’t work. Dadgummit. It'll never work. They're both heartless when it comes to pacifier and Coke Zero addictions. Heartless.

Hence: The day TLC takes Baby Elle’s second pacifier? That’ll be the day I give up my second Coke Zero. In Belle's honor. To support her. To prove to myself and MSH and TLC and Little Leighton and Baby Elle that I can survive with only one Coke Zero a day.

I hope Belle and I have at least another month. PLEASE TLC—let us have another THREE MONTHS, okay? How about two??

(Now, here's the deal on that last Coke Zero: I cannot and will not promise I'll give my last one up when TLC takes Belle's last paci. We'll see. We'll just have to see.)

God Bless America on this 2018 Memorial Day. God bless all of those who have sacrificed so much for our country. For their families—for all families. For all citizens. We can never repay your service adequately.

God bless each of you today…and this week…and always…

ELC