Sleep Trained

Last night as Sabine and I sat in the rocker and she perused a truck book and a roaring dinosaur (purloined from her sister's room) I asked if she was ready for bedtime and she vigorously shook her head (no!).

When I kissed Sabine goodnight, laid her in the crib and tucked her in she started to squeal and cry. I walked out, closing the door behind me, and she had stopped before I reached my room, less than 15 feet away. She woke at 1:30, 5, and then was awake and ready to go at 7:15. Each time she woke in the night she went back in the crib without a fuss. Not too bad.

Today was the Winter Pageant / Holiday Presentation at church. I had volunteered Arabella for a part. I thought she might carry a wreath, or dance with the other kids, but they gave her a spoken part: she was supposed to recite Christina Rossetti's But Give Me Holly,

But give me holly, bold and jolly,
Honest, prickly, shining holly.
Pluck me holly, leaf and berry,
for the day when I make merry.

Which, since she can't read, we had to work together to memorize. This was complicated by my losing the fricking poem, and not being able to find it online, but she did pretty well nonetheless, though Jennie (the assistant pageant director) had to prompt her a couple of times. She looked like a deer caught in the headlights, which is odd from the child who has never before shied away from public performance.