The keys to a good night's sleep

Earlier this week we made our first attempt at getting Ada to sleep at Monkey Boy's house with the intention of waking her in the middle of (her) night to take her back home. The first part of the evening went beautifully, as expected. Ada was so happy to be following her older, wiser, taller friend around that she repeatedly screeched with delight ("no, she's not in pain, she's just happy"). She wasn't very interested in dinner (though she did like the bits she grabbed off Monkey Boy's tray). The two kid bath went well, and Chris got to see the adorable two-kids-in-a-tub that I enjoyed in Colorado.

Things went downhill quickly once the gal was diapered and pj'd. I'd covered the windows with blankets to hide that it was still daylight out. (The sun is setting some time past 9 here these days - great for the adults, less ideal for the kids.) I did my usual nursing and once Ada was really saggy-sleepy, I moved her into the portable crib. Screaming ensued immediately, and did not stop for twenty minutes. At home she's a champ about bedtime, and when on occasion she does cry, we are ok with letting her grumble and mumble to sleep. This was no grumbling, this was "I am so pissed off that you've left me here that tomorrow morning I will learn to climb up on the kitchen counter so that I can grab a big knife and plunge it into your heart" angry. Chris went up with a bottle and spent considerable time and effort soothing Ada to sleep. (Meanwhile I enjoyed delicious bread salad, salmon and grilled zucchini with my tears.)

Once the gal was asleep, Chris and I had a lovely evening with Ellen and Jiro. We discussed their wedding ceremony, including what I will say and what ceremonial elements they want to employ. Oh, and what they should put on their registry. (TWELVE plates, Ellen, you need twelve.) When it was time to go home I was a little nervous. Okay, a lot nervous - enough to put off leaving past when I was yawning. Miss Ada was a champ. She barely complained when Chris picked her up. She put up with the short ride home, even smiling at me from the back seat. We quickly bundled her into the house and up to her room. It did not take too much effort to convince her to go back to sleep and soon we were all in bed.

This morning as Chris was leaving for work, he came back into the house to say "I've put your keys on the table, ok?"

"Um...ok."

"Unless you wanted them in the door."

"Oh. Were they in the door all night?"

"Yes."

I'm thinking it may be time to retire that story about the guy who walked around all day with the coaster in his shoe.