...to calm my little one

...it worked with the sweetest response

My little Audrey has quite a temper especially when she has made up her mind.

Two days ago she decided after I had put her to bed that she wanted her door open.  At the time I didn't really think anything about this simple request because all the kids were headed to bed at the same time that evening (it was a pretty late bedtime for her).

The following evening I noted my error when I was putting her to bed at her usual bedtime (7:30) and she wanted her door open again.  Unfortunately the rest of the house was up doing their evening routine thing and thus were very distracting to her.  I endured an hour of her calling for me, crying, asking for Will to come in, Abbey to come to her, etc...

That brings me to this evening.  I tried for about fifteen minutes to endure the whines and cries that she didn't want to go to bed.  That she had to have her door open.   Finally I decided enough was enough,  this was a silly request I had agreed to.  So...

I closed the door.

The screaming started.  The kind where my neighbors should probably call social services.  I let her tantrum for a bit and then I thought I would try once more to calm her down.

Well in the couple of days before Mark left I had him change shirts several times with the intent the kids (and of course me too) might like to hold him as close as we could.  So I went in with one of the shirts that Mark had left.  And I said, "It is time to go to sleep.  Mommy has to close your door now.  But maybe, you might want to feel one of your daddy's hugs."

She looked a bit confused but I said, "Go ahead.  Smell the shirt.  Smell him Audrey, he misses you.  A hug might make you feel better."

In less than a moment, my sweet little one, took the shirt, brought it close to her face and then laid herself down on it... Pulling that shirt in under her chin, just like she does her didi.

"da du momma" (thank you) she said.

And I closed the door.