Dear Alice,

Let's talk about sleep, Baby Girl.  You are the only baby I've ever had, so I can't say unequivocally that you are the worst sleeper EVER (in fact, you're probably not even close to the worst by miles), BUT you ARE the worst sleeper I've ever had.  Do you know that the only thing standing between Daddy's wish to do Cry It Out and at least three totally miserable, screamy nights for you, is ME?  That's right, this epic battle we find ourselves in is actually all one big massive effort to avoid CIO.  And you only have 8 days left to figure out that you should give in and join Team Mommy. 

We could be having so much fun, you and I.  We could be going places, and visiting people, and playing with ALL THE TOYS.  But instead we are spending our ENTIRE EXISTENCE just trying to get you to sleep.  In all your effort to not miss anything, you are missing everything!!  I know, it's too soon for such abstract reasoning, but I'll keep trying to explain it to you anyway. 

PLEASE, Sweetness and Light, don't make us do it!!

Love, Mommy

Today I had the first real melt down of parenthood...  Which I guess isn't that bad considering we are 8 1/2 months in.  I don't count the post-birth hormonal weepy period.  It wasn't what I would have expected.  I think it's just because I'm so tired.  I wasn't even having a bad day--the sun was shining, Alice was fine, but I just burst into tears and couldn't stop crying.  Luckily I was at mom and dad's and they gave me bacon and took the baby.

This was a surprisingly effective tactic. 

The last few nights Alice has been waking up screaming about half hour after I put her to bed.  I was so done tonight that I just brought her out to sleep on my lap while I watched TV (!!) and then brought her to bed with me. Pretty sure I'm creating a sleep monster and that I've managed to undo all our hard earned no-cry training in one fell swoop.  And I'm not sure I even care.  This is what January does to me.  Bad attitude all over the place.  It's like the Monday of the whole year.  Luckily it's over in only 27 more days...