It has been a whopping two weeks since my last post. In that time, Zoe has rolled over, (I know, yippee!) and learned to become an incredible jumping machine. She jumps so fast, she is a "blur" in real time.

The new problem with the Zo is night time. Up until now, Zoe has fallen asleep without a peep. She has even been known to pass out while jumping, a phenomenon I wish I could achieve (can you imagine, you're jumping up to say hello to someone, and then suddenly...you're asleep).



Her incredible sleeping powers have now abated. While we no longer have to worry about a possible narcoleptic syndrome (a la "Mr. Bean"), we do spend much more time trying to "trick" our increasingly smart child.


Here's how it goes:
8 p.m. Zoe starts rubbing her eyes. There is a slight red rimmed eye to her glassy, tired look. Chris and I look at each other "knowingly." We understand that there is now a 30 minute window. If we wait too long to put her to bed, she will be a wild-eyed manic maniac who will not be pacified. If we don't wait long enough, she will toss and turn, not fall asleep, and become a unpacifiable wild-eyed maniac.

8:15 p.m. At the "perfect" time (this is like making the perfect brownie--too soft/squishy and doughy if you take brownies out too early. One minute too long...you have a crunchy black mess.), we carry our sleepy child up stairs.

8:30 p.m. We set up Zoe's "nest" exactly to her liking. This part is VERY specific. If we mess this up, it's all over (go back to previous comment about the maniac....). Her bunny must lie exactly next to her in a 180 degree sidelying position, so that Zoe can clutch her bunny and nuzzle her face into it. Her little  pillow must be exactly on the other side of her, so that when she turns her face to the left, she can feel it. If these qualifications are not met...game over.

The unfortunate part is that Zoe used to sleep next to her bunny and just nuzzle him. Now, she has gained new powers of strength and agility, without the power of discretion.She accidentally grabs her bunny, flings him into the air, or flails him left and right. Sometimes the bunny lands on top of her.  This makes Zoe angry. Her bunny needs to be nuzzled for her to fall asleep.
We circumvent this issue by carefully holding bunny down so that he cannot be moved by unskillful little hands. Holding bunny down must also be done with trepidation. If  Zoe catches a glimpse of our face through the bars of her crib....once again, game over (do not pass go, do not collect 200 dollars).

Chris and I usually either lie on the floor, or crouch next to the crib. One of us holds the bunny down. One of us waits in anticipation for the last crucial hurdle: the pacifier pop.

The "pacifier pop" is the similar to the bunny problem. Zoe will get very angry if her pacifier is taken out. Unfortunately, more often that not, this is done by her own wandering little hands. With more skillful fine motor skills, she "pops" out her pacifier by grabbing it with her two little hands, and then screams in indignation that someone would take her pacifier away while she is about to fall sleep!

In our 5-Star Meade Hotel, we are here for every beck and call. This means, immediate 9-1-1 response to either the "bunny problem" or "the pacifier pop". Really, it is just for our own sanity. Bedtime takes two of us to achieve.

We know she is falling asleep when she moans, rubs her face against bunny, and moans again. Two minutes and she will be asleep. Two minutes and we are home free. But it only takes one little creak of the bedroom door, one unsuspecting  squeaky toy on the carpet floor and....

AaaaaaaaaaaWaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!

And then we start all over. :)