From the road

Lady Laide, as my folks discovered when they were here, really loves being outside. When wailing of an evening my Dad would take her for a walk and then, perhaps it was the cooler air, the sounds, the breeze on her face or just the quiet of being with a Grandpa, it would always calm her down remarkably. I owe that practice of old to the trauma that we're going through now when trying to settle her for the night. Sleep has become a battle-ground on which The Lady Laide invariably wins. My Mountain Man bows out of combat rather quickly, overwhelmed by the crying and my contradicting orders. One minute he's told that as long as he and I are on the same page and just do what feels right for us then we're doing well. The next moment he is given his marching orders to take her back to the room because 'surely the dark and quiet are better for her than here in the kitchen' (I had to interrupt a phonecall to issue that command). And the next night his tactic to leave her in the dark, quiet room resulted in a wailing baby and a frosty wife giving him the silent treatment for the remainder of the evening for his audacity to 'just leave her?!?'

We're struggling to figure out an approach that will work for us. 

To cry or not to cry?

The philosophical debate for which there is an abundance of advice. And when encouraged to do what is right for us we puzzle as to exactly what this might entail. Last night it meant separate beds, the Laide glorying it with Mum in the master bedroom while Dad enjoyed the best nights sleep he's had in a while in the guest bedroom. When I snuck down to see him for a cuddle this morning, I felt like I was cheating on my baby. 

Shea suggested that this was a good start on his dream to lead a polygamous life. Now he just needs a wife for the other bed and we're set.

Anyway, I'm too tired to think more about it now. I'll leave off with some pictures of the Laide 'helping' with hanging out the washing. The sheets are so frequently washed now.

Laide is really working on this new trick of spying something, eying it up....

reaching, reaching.......

.....and then assessing it for taste value.....

...only to lose it and start the whole process over....