Yummm...Crow!

As a mother of only one child, I got a bit of a big head about myself and my parenting skills. After some initial troubles with Her Highness's formula, I was able to schedule her easily. At six months she began showing obvious signs of asthma and allergies and that led to RxMan sleeping with her in a chair for the better part of the next year and a half but, after that, my girl was a sleeper. She slept well at night and napped often and lengthily. Her naps were so scheduled that they ruled my/our life. If errands were to be done, they must be done in the 2 1/2 - 3 hour window between morning and afternoon naps. Holidays and birthday parties were a nightmare because my family always has them smack in the middle of the day. But, she was scheduled.

I remember bragging (first mistake) that I could schedule any child. I am a creature of habit and thrive on a routine. I felt that any child would be schedule-able. I gave my sister-in-law and neighbors haughty advice (second mistake) on how to improve their children and their sleeping habits. See, I felt that my success with HH and my own personal routine would mesh well with all babies.

Then I had The Conqueror.

And God. Laughed. Really. Really. Hard.

Didn't I know that pride is one of the seven deadly sins? Was I asking to be proven wrong? What the hell was I thinking blowing off my big trap to these other people based on the experience of having one child who has a very easygoing attitude/personality and spent the better part of her first 6 years drugged and sick?!?!

I love TC. I do. He is a blessing. But, this kid is hard. Really, really hard. He will sleep well at night. Takes a great morning nap. And then naps early in the afternoon for, like, 30 minutes. Then he is awake and cranking until bedtime.

So, I have tried everything that my self-proclaimed baby expert self can conjure up but to no avail. Occasionally, he naps well both times. Those are just little tricks that he pulls to mess with my head so I spend the next 3 days figuring out why he did so well on that day. Yes, this child is a whole different beast than HH.

Now, I must eat crow. And, let me tell ya: it isn't very tasty.