A Mother's Plea

Dear Samantha,

Do you remember yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that, and the day before that, when you didn't feel good?

When you had a temperature somewhere between 102 and 104, and we gave you the yummy Tylenol and the grape Pedialite and let you lay on us all day?

Do you remember how we rocked you and sang to you? And how you took naps and slept for hours and hours on end because daddy bought the Vicks that goes in the humidifier in your room so you could breathe? And how you first puked on daddy, and then on me?

Do you remember? Yeah, I didn't think so.

Because now it is my turn. I don't feel good. I just want to take a nap and not wake up until tomorrow.

But, and this is a BIG BUT, you aren't taking your super-long naps anymore. And what is worse, you are teasing me. You cry and whine and lay your head down on the floor and lay on me with your pink blankie, making it seem like you want to go to sleep. But when I put you in your crib, you just cry. And that, sweetheart? Is not fair.

Here is the thing. I can't sleep unless you do. I mean, I know that you and the Fonz have made great strides in the past week, what with you taking his bone out of his mouth as he is knawing on it and you poke him in the eye, and you crawl over him in an attempt to get closer to me. But then he stands up and scares you and you cry. And I have to come to your rescue. And while you have mastered the art of going up the stairs, you have yet to grasp the concept of going down. And I just can't trust Fonz yet to stop you from going down if you really wanted to. So that is just one of the many reasons he is not yet ready to baby-sit.

So please, please dear child, just lie down and take a nap. I'd really appreciate it.

Love,
mommy