We're at my in-laws' house tonight, after being up late last night watching Frozen in The 'Shoe. Baby Boy napped in the car and Baby Girl didn't nap at all. She isn't napping during the week since she's in kindergarten, so it isn't a huge deal. By bedtime, however, Baby Girl was a Mess. She cried and sobbed when we told her that she and her brother were going to share a bedroom. We still don't know why she was so upset, but it went on for at least 15 minutes. During all of her Mess Baby Boy was behaving incredibly well. He laid on his cot and snuggled his Olaf and tried to fall asleep. The Hubby and I had lost patience with it and I'd told her that she needed to calm down or she'd be sleeping in the basement. She did calm down mostly, then was ramping up again when I got up and asked her to get up. She calmed herself fairly quickly after begging me not to make her go and I was so exasperated that I told them I'd be back and I needed a drink of water. As I closed the door, I heard Baby Boy whining a bit about me closing the door (I think), but just moved on. I got my drink of water, made a frustrated comment to The Hubby and his parents, and went toward the door again. I heard nothing. I stood outside the door for another minute, still hearing nothing, and then opened the door and peeked in at them. Their elephant nightlight was off and they were both completely still.
Let's rewind to talk about why this is a miracle. You see, every night I sit in Baby Boy's bedroom for 30-60 minutes, waiting for him to fall asleep. I just sit in the chair and typically play on the iPad. So it always takes him a very long time to wind down and actually fall asleep. For him to wind down enough to fall asleep within about 3 minutes is truly miraculous. And she'd been so wound up, begging to snuggle with me, begging to touch me, begging me to stay right by her and just generally freaking out, that I thought my leaving would make them both hysterical.
I went back to the family room, amazed that they were both settled down. We sat and watched football for a few hours before Baby Boy woke up whimpering. I went to him, had him lay back down, and was rubbing his back to help him fall back asleep when I saw a small stuffed animal beside him. He'd only had Olaf in his cot when I left him. Then I realized what it was. It was Surgery Bear, Baby Girl's very favorite stuffed animal, one that's been with her for years. Even through her hysteria, she was so kind and caring to her brother and the fact that he was upset that she gave up her favorite stuffed animal so he could relax and fall asleep himself. My heart melted like it hasn't in a long time.
I'm going to do my best to remember that as we deal with the behavior and emotional issues that we've been struggling with as we transition to our new normal. Deep down, behind the irrational crying and screaming, she's the same little girl I know and love dearly.
