We drove to my in-law’s house today, to celebrate my father in law’s birthday. Owen loves this since he has a houseful of kids to play with and I love it because then I have a roomful of people eager and willing to watch my child while I get to eat without help, knit without help and even *gasp* hold an intelligent conversation about things I want to talk actual real adults. Really, it’s a win-win all around.
The ugly part always comes at the end, when it’s time to go home. Owen’s usually pretty cool about leaving, but the last 20 minutes of the drive home (it’s about an hour and 15 minute drive) is ugly. Tonight was no exception. I knew before we left that Owen was so tired. After forcing himself to burp repeatedly for the first five minutes we were on the road, he was out cold.
I’m not sure if I hit a bump in the road or his pacifier (yeah, my kid’s almost 16 months old and still has a pacifier, what about it?) popped out, but 20 minutes outside of the town we live in, Owen’s little eyes popped open and he immediately let it be known that he was not happy about being awake. In short staccato bursts that made me feel like my brain was trying to leak out of my ear just to escape the noise.
The only thing that calmed him down enough to get off the ledge and go back to drowsing was for me to sing, much like a human jukebox. Could I sing along to something on the radio for His Highness’ listening pleasure? Sadly, no. This just brought on more howling (whether this was in response to my singing or the radio being on, I’m not quite sure) and that was what the singing had been alleviating, so the radio had to be shut off.
Unfortunately my playlist of songs that I can remember and sing (and soothing sounding and child friendly) without aid of the radio being backup is frighteningly short. You can only sing “Twinkle twinkle” so many times before you think that you might have to start banging your head against the steering wheel just to break up the monotony. Also, did you know that “Twinkle twinkle” and the tune that you sing your ABC’s to is the exact same song? Twice the mind numbing pleasure!
I seriously forsee us investing in some cool children’s music ( something like this or this) before next weekend when we drive back again, this time for my mother in law’s birthday.
Summer says:
My three year old just got rid of her suckies a few weeks after her 3rd birthday. I decided man, that’s her comfort thing, like my gin and tonics. What would I do if someone all the sudden said I have to give up gin and tonics because I should learn to self-soothe now?
Hell, no. So we let her keep them, and then somehow they were done. I can’t even remember now how we did it. Something about them all being broken? I don’t know. By this time she only had them at night and when she hurt herself or something but it was a pretty elaborate thing, one in the mouth and at least 2 in the hands, and she would only use one kind (the first years) and those are discontinued so at one point I had to order 12 of them from the company’s back stock.
Now her baby brother doesn’t use one at all. so weird.
November 12th, 2007 at 12:13 am
Coordination Queen says:
My kid just turned 2. He still gets his plug at naptime and bedtime. Nothing wrong with it. (at least I don’t think so.)
Just try to make sure the music you pick doesn’t drive you crazy. 
November 12th, 2007 at 3:44 pm