From there, we went to visit another friend nearby who has a baby boy about a week younger than Lily. We talked about exercise, naps, friendships, family, and life in general. It was delightful.
Lily and I finished out the day in Grand Island getting groceries, stopping at Closet Savvy (if you haven't been there and live in the GI area, you MUST go. Here's a link to their website: http://www.closet-savvy.com/ Seriously. Go. You will thank me later.), and Walgreens. If you saw my Facebook status last night, you already know that Lily spit up while we were in Walmart (the first stop of the afternoon). I cleaned up her little face, removed the soaked burp rag, and used wipes to mop up the spots on the floor (it was a rather large "spit up"). I went about my business proud that my daughter had spared the new sweater I'd gotten for Christmas. But then...
Six hours later, when I got home and was changing into sweats, I saw it: a small but obvious line of spit up that had been trailing down my back all afternoon at all of the stores I went to. Why couldn't I have left my coat on? *sigh* It's official. I'm a mom. I don't even notice the spit up anymore. But what a great (and terribly trivial) price to pay for having my very favorite shopping partner with me all day. :)
Anyway, I've been thanking the Lord today for the friends I visited yesterday. As we were arriving at each house, both of the other babies were ready for their naps. Their brave mommas, walked into their rooms, put their babies in their cribs, walked out, closed the door and let them cry for a couple of minutes before they fell asleep. It was mostly painless.
As of yesterday I haven't been brave enough to try that with Liliana. Sure, she's put herself to sleep in the middle of the night if she wakes up, and she's put herself to sleep accidentally while playing in her pack 'n' play, but... I simply dreaded the hour of crying it would take to get her exhausted enough to fall asleep on her own. (If you know me at all, you know I'm a rule-follower and a person who thrives on a predictable schedule, so why I haven't gotten Lily on a normal nap/awake schedule is a little confusing - even to me.)
These brave and strong and responsible mothers inspired me this morning to start the schedule/putting herself to sleep thing with Lily. This morning when she was ready for her nap, I confidently (on the outside at least) walked into her room, put her in her crib, told her I loved her, and walked out. I promised myself that 5 minutes later, I'd go comfort my distraught daughter and put her back in her crib for another 5 minutes. This would be my strategy in the battle. But it wasn't to be. At only 3 1/2 minutes of crying/fussing, Lily stopped. She slept. For almost an hour and a half. And it was painless!
So this afternoon, I tried it again. I was in the midst of making some things in the kitchen and Lily was ready for her nap. So I walked into her room, put her in her crib and in less than 3 minutes, she was a goner. Who woulda thought?!?!?
I'm so thankful for other mommies with whom I can share this experience of parenthood. I never realized the value for me and for my family it would be to have friends walking the same road we are at the same time. Of course I valued these women's friendships before becoming a mom, but ever more so now. I learn from them, I bounce ideas off of them, I observe the way they function, and it all helps me constantly learn how to function better myself.
From visiting other mommies yesterday I also got the idea to get Lily's high chair out. And she loves it!
Three cheers to motherhood and sharing the experience with friends. Hip-hip-hooray! Hip-hip-hooray! Hip-hip-hooray!!!!!
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