Makin' Up For It

Zoe is enjoying her Cabbage Patch doll from Great Aunt Pat and Great Uncle Ron. We discovered that her shoes do indeed come off and on, as do her socks. And Lottie (that's the name she came with, so don't blame me!) has toes. Zoe likes to take off Lottie's shoes and socks to see her "piggies." Trouble is, Zoe needs my help to get the shoes and socks on and off. And she feels they need to go on and off several times in a row before moving on to something else. Lottie also has a real diaper and a little belly button and cute little butt cheeks. However, I did not point these last facts out to Zoe as I did not want to be completely undressing and dressing Lottie over and over again all day long. I'm sure she will eventually discover these things on her own anyway.

Following our especially difficult day on Thursday, Zoe made up for it on Friday. In fact, I think Friday was perhaps the most cooperative and cutest Zoe has ever been. There were no big melt downs. Meal times were without any big issue. Nap time was a cinch, with Zoe going down to her crib without any arguing or tears and going right to sleep--for 2 hours (which is longer than usual). She woke up in a good mood. Then she said something extra super cute as we did our usual post-nap activity of heading downstairs to go get the mail. I was teasing her about being "sweet as pie" and then I asked her what kind of pie she is. She pondered this minute and then proudly stated "Cutie Pie!" I laughed so hard I almost fell down the stairs.

Then she even went to bed super easy Friday night. In fact, after reading a couple stories, she didn't even want to snuggle hardly at all before going to her crib. I discovered the secret is that she loves to be "covered up." Well, when it has been 105 degrees here whether the air conditioning is on or not, it is just plain too hot to cuddle under a blanket. I told her we could snuggle without Blankie or I would tuck her in on her pillow in her crib with her Blankie. She decided she'd rather be tucked in with Blankie than snuggle without it--Mommy or not.

I tucked her in with lots of kisses and "Night night"'s and she responded to each of my "Night night"'s with her own "Night night, Mommy." Then I walked out of her room with my standard recent struggle over mixed emotions. Much as I wanted her to start going to bed easier, I miss the long snuggling. Now who's guilty of "nothing makes her happy"? I console myself by remembering that she loves the twenty minutes or so of snuggling upon awakening each morning. The best thing of all has been the past few mornings when I go in her room and she is just hanging out in her crib playing with her toes and quietly contemplating the meaning of life.As soon as she sees me walk in, she scrambles up to her knees or her feet and exclaims "It's Mommy!" as if it's the happiest moment of her life. Then she grabs her Blankie, her Taggie, and her Kitty and snuggles up with me in the rocking chair for awhile. There's no better way to start my day.