Schedules and Babies Don't Mix

Baby Brigid's schedule yesterday was thrown when Daddy had to go to work early. He brought her to me at my office about 11 a.m. and then she and I went to have lunch with Auntie Shell at Applebee's. Brigid was very well behaved, considering she had missed her morning nap and was hungry. She sat very well with Michelle, played with spoons and various toys I had in the diaper bag, but she was very interested in what Michelle had on her plate, including a big hunk of Texas toast. It's a big leap from Cheerios and veggie puffs to Texas toast, so we pushed the plate farther from her reach. Brigid fell asleep in the car on our way back to my office, so she slept in the carrier for a while, which gave me a few minutes to finish up work. We got home in time for the girls (Patricia and Nicole) to come home from school. I then ran out to pick up Margaret. They all had tap last night, and Nicole comes home with Patricia on Mondays and Wednesdays before dance. The last couple of days, Brigid and I have enjoyed long afternoon naps together, and yesterday was no exception. The girls played out in the living room on the computer (which we moved from the computer/sewing room in our mission to turn it into Brigid's room) while Brigid and I napped. I got up to make dinner and then we headed over to tap class. Brigid was happy to sit and look at Kim (Nicole's mom) while she and I chatted. Brigid has been showing a little interest in what goes on in the tap class while the girls are all in there tap-tap-tapping away. She cocks her head to look through the door and bounces a little. I think we have a hula baby in the making.

One of the nice things about having older girls is that they can keep an eye on Brigid when I need to do something. Last night, I had to run to the drug store quickly, so I put Baby B in the play pen near the computer and the girls entertained her for the 10 minutes I was gone. Margaret is particularly helpful because she is old enough to have taken the babysitter's class offered by the Red Cross. She really wants to start babysitting for other people; I just don't know any. People with children who need a sitter, that is. I do in fact know other people.

Bed time was a little trying. She kept falling asleep in my arms but didn't want to be transferred (big surprise) so she stayed attached to me while I watched some television. Daddy came home and he got some Brigid time while we watched "House" on tape from the night before. We spent the rest of the night passing Baby B back and forth when she got too cranky. Crying babies make it hard to hear the television.She did have a little better night, though, and wasn't attached me to all night like she has in the recent nights. Woke up in a cranky mood, however, and I had to nurse her into submission. May be a phase; may be new teeth. We'll have to wait and see.