Sixth sense

I think both girls must sense that I am going back to work and things are going to change (again) around here. Ellen knows, of course, and is excited to have Georgia at her school, but it seems to be more than that. Both girls had a really rough night last night for no apparent reason. Out of the blue. I guess it's always out of the blue, truthfully, because otherwise it would just be life. I had my last several days at home alone with Georgia which were nice and easy, as they generally are with her. Yesterday Ellen was home and there was less "nice and easy" to go around. She has a yucky cold and I keep harping on her to coveryourmouth!, coughinyourelbow!, notsoclosetoyoursister!, which I'm sure didn't help matters. She just appeared to get a naughty streak, though, which is not characteristic of her at all. Squeezed a pile of hand sanitizer on the counter and floor and left it there for hours. Kept jumping off her bed at quiet time after I told her ten times not to.

She also fell asleep on the couch right before dinner, so I know that tiredness and sickness played a role.

Then, that 20 minute cat nap totally sabotaged the normal bedtime routine. Ellen has had some difficulty going to sleep recently - the latest interruption being that she gets up, makes her bed with all kinds of books / toys / blankets, and lays upside down on the end of her bed, on top of the covers. Whatever. Last night, though, she was up AFTER Georgia was already in bed at 9:30pm and had changed her PJs, made and unmade her bed, added an exercise ball and got it taken away. You know, the typical. 

She also doesn't appear to be a quick learner. Erik set her up this morning with breakfast and a show before he left for work while I was upstairs feeding Georgia. We do this quite often and Ellen is generally very trustworthy. She came up a bit later, legging-less, asking for new pants because the other ones were "too cold". I pressed her further and she said it was because she spilled her applesauce. I asked her to put her pants in the laundry room and I came downstairs. She then explained that she tried to clean up the applesauce, but was surprised to find marker underneath. Mind you, I had lectured her the night before on telling the truth when you make mistakes. I was disappointed in her bad choice, but she was in time out for not asking for help. Sooo ... I asked to see her pants and found this:

Cue another time out, a frustrated mom at 7:50am, and only so many privileges I can take away without driving myself crazy in the process. Add in a "you should have gone away and Dad should have stayed home" from Ellen and, well, next week will be interesting.

Georgia, on the other hand, was just acting like such a baby last night! The nerve! :) The truth is that we are so used to her predictable, easy ways that anything out of the ordinary - not falling asleep without crying? waking up to eat after her last bottle? - just throws us for a loop. I fed her TWICE after she had already gone down for the night, perhaps due to a combination of a snorty nose and not eating as well during the day? I was still in bed by 12:15am (after I was originally in bed before 10:00pm and feeling pretty smug. I clearly brought this on myself), but I just get anxious about this happening on work nights and it makes me even less patient with the whole thing.

This, too, shall pass. Millions of parents make it work everyday. I know once we jump in and get our feet wet it will all be fine, it's just the jumping that I'm fearful of ...