My sister and her husband are in Vegas. Lucky dogs. I am here in Ohio watching her three kids.
When my sister left, she said her baby (17 months) was a little cranky. Just alternate between Tylenol and Advil as needed. OK. I can do that.
So my sis left for the airport and the baby slept for hours. So many that I started to worry and wonder if she'd ever sleep at night. So, I woke her up. Fed her dinner, Tylenol and gave her a bottle (even though she is almost weaned) and put her to bed early at 7:15 p.m. She was so cranky. Nothing else worked. She then slept until 10:15 a.m. I have never had that happen before. I was afraid she was unconscious. So, I woke her up. I have never done that before as a parent and have done it twice so far this week!
So today, she is a mess. Cranky and nothing is making her happy. She has slept a lot and has hardly eaten. I gave her a bath tonight and put her right back to bed. And away she sleeps.
So what do I say when they call? Luckily I missed their first call today. I know they will call again tonight. Do I go with the "little cranky" or the honest truth? I just don't know. When you are a four hour flight away and you never get to enjoy yourself, do you really want to know that your baby isn't feeling so hot? Do you want the truth or a gentle little lie? The baby isn't sick enough to go to a pediatrician but not well enough to just play and hang out.
I think I will try the gentle truth approach. She's cranky but sleeping a lot. That doesn't sound to bad does it? That doesn't ruin your vacation does it? It is truthful enough, right? We'll see. I hope the right words come out to not worry my sister. Instead of the usual what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas, I am going with the what happens in Ohio, stays in Ohio. Mums the word, people.
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9 comments:
I would definitely want to know the honest truth.
On that note. There's not much that you can do except have her sleep it off and hydrate her. Right?
Hang in there. Can we come over for a playdate after school tomorrow? It will keep some of the kids you have occupied at the least. Let me know.
She's probably teething or fighting being sick. Is she running a fever? Sleep is good. OHmommy's right. Sleep and hydrate.
I am all for the gentle truth. Cranky but sleeping a lot. And I agree with OHMommy too. I think she is probably just fighting something off and needs her rest. :)
Good luck!
You poor thing!! Let me know if you need anything - I'm all over town tomorrow, but can pick up some more Tylenol or pedialyte.
That's funny! Tell her the gentle truth now and then lay it out on the line when she gets back.
Sleep and hydrate, but if she runs a significant fever, call the doc. Do your friends read the blog? They might find out!
Hmmmm...I say sugar coat it until they get there.
You are a saint! That is such a tough age. Especially for seperation anxiety. I don't think I could stand the Mommy guilt knowing my baby was miserable.
If it makes you feel any better, when I was a nanny, kids slept better for me than anything I've ever experienced as a mom. You could have called me the baby whisperer, and I even had one mom say to me, "are you telling me the truth? Because my son never sleeps this well with me."
I WISH I'd been able to get my own kids to sleep that well. I also wish I'd had a sister who'd taken care of my kids for four days so I could have gotten away when my boys were that age.
It sounds like you're doing a good job, and unless she actually exhibits signs of getting sicker, she's probably getting a lot more rest than she would have if your sister had been home, and it sounds like she needs it.
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