Despite a few frosts (we're dipping into the minus celsius at night) our vege garden hasn't shrivvled and died like the bergonia by the front door. Figuring it was only a matter of time, Little Laide and I went harvesting this week. Adelaide allowed me enough time to get most of the lettuce in, all of the spinach and the few remaining stems of rhubarb that weren't limp and smooshy. So long as I retrieved Sophie every time she was knocked to the ground, the babe was content.
We're expecting Mountain Man home today and again, we're very excited. Actually, that's a lie, Adelaide couldn't care less. I'm very excited. Our bed-time challenges continue. I struggle between following my instinct and pursuing structure as I see others live. I know Adelaide needs to be in bed early than Shea and I but it can take the entire evening to attain that. Some nights I end up just crawling in with her, resigned to going to sleep at the same time as the baby. Not a terrible thing I suppose, considering I aways strive to have earlier nights than what actually occur.
Last night, after hours of trying to leave the little one in bed while I snuck away, she again defeated my efforts and began crying as soon as my warm self left her side. Exasperated and cursing Shea for not being there to help, I decided I just needed some time to step away and calm down before returning to the battle ground. While I was away, my precious one vomited in her usual waterfall style and then lay in the smelly stuff crying harder now as I didn't return immediately. It was so distressing to pick her up and see her whole, beautiful face covered in curdled milk. She had it in her ears, nose, thickly round the back of her neck and most distressingly of all, in her eyes. I still feel so awful about it that I'm not sure I can even make it funny! Let's not tell Shea, ok? He'll definitely lose any illusions of my qualifications to be a Good Mother.
Reassuringly, my Little Laide was smiling at me as soon as I began bathing the sticky stuff of her.
"Yes," I observed, "you win." Not only was I back by her side but she'd managed to make me feel the most incredible guilt for even considering leaving her alone. Will I ever win a battle with this wee Laide?
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