No Drama Mama

The first Christmas with a new baby is a magical time, like experiencing the joy and wonder of the holiday season for the first time.  The second Christmas? Not so much.  Last Christmas, Miss L was 18 months old and Christmas was...exhausting! Twenty minutes into unwrapping presents she went all grouchy pants and had to take a nap. 

But this year, Christmas is magical again! Miss L didn't really understand what was going on first Christmas (she was only six months old!) or her second Christmas. But this year is different. Christmas trees, holiday lights, candles, songs, COOKIES! Miss L is all over it. And that makes me really, really, really excited. Nothing like a child to make something seem brand new again.

There is one problem, however. My idea of beautiful holiday decorations are green fir garlands and red velvet bows, maybe a few strings of white lights. Classic. Miss L does not share my opinion. To a two-year-old, the gaudier the better.

Last week was rough. On Saturday night, everything was fine. We pulled off the normal routine of bath, book, songs, bed without a hitch. But Sunday everything was different, and we had no idea why. She just wouldn't go to sleep. At 9 pm, after an hour of trying to get her down to bed, she told me to go away! So away I went, and she promptly cried. I came right back, and we started the same dance all over again.

UPDATE - INITIATIVE 26 WAS BLOCKED -  FINAL COUNT 58% AGAINST!

Mississippi is voting on a personhood amendment next week. This makes me so freakin' furious (and terrified that the movement might actually take hold) that I'm talking about it here and on my personal blog.

Fall is finally here, and the magnificent reds, oranges, and yellows are well worth the onslaught of colds, flues, and other health woes that are right around the corner. (I'm trying to stay positive here.) So now is the time to enjoy all things Autumn, like pumpkin patches and hayrides and scenic railroads.

Yep, I didn't know that last one existed either.

During the past two weeks I have had to take a few short trips for work. It's been a very busy couple of weeks. I was anxious, because the first two times I left Miss L for work (both times she was younger than 2) did not go so well. You can read about it here.

It's not that I don't trust my husband. He can keep a kid alive. He can even get her dressed (her hair, however, is an entirely different matter). But these are the things that are part of my normal routine--getting Miss L ready for school, fed, cleaned up. Mr. A will get the job done, if he has to, but he won't do it the right way my way. Which means, of course, that Miss L continually told him he was wrong (I probably should correct her on this, but whatevs). Pajamas are not called p.j.'s. Miss L needs a cup of water before bed. It is critical that the blue spoon be used for cereal. Actually, the spoon thing wasn't even an issue, as it turned out, because Mr. A did not give Miss L cereal for breakfast. He gave her doughnuts.

While I have a lot to say on how being a working mom affects my sleep (or lack thereof), this post is actually about how my work schedule affects Miss L's sleep schedule.

It ain't good, folks.

Hi, everyone! I'ma new addition to the DC Metro Mom blog, and I couldn't be more excited to get started. I'm an average working mom: tired, overworked, stressed, and absolutely determined to give my child the best opportunities this city has to offer. (Huh, funny how that list looks exactly like what my SAHM friends would say. Maybe we aren't so different after all!)

Holly at Parenting.com interviewed Adam Mansbach, the author of Go the F*k to Sleep. Read the interview here. Interesting, right?