My preschooler is sobbing and wailing, "I want Mama!" as she stumbles up the stairs, and I am sitting downstairs trying to work through the ringing in my ears (compounded by what seems to be a massive double ear-infection. It seems so wrong to be in my mid-30s with a double ear infection). Daddy is putting her to bed, and the change in our routine is throwing her for a massive loop.
I know she'll be fine. I'm grateful to have the extra time to work so I can take a handful of Ibuprofen and get to bed at a decent hour. But, at the same time, it kills me to hear her crying.
So I turned on the baby monitor. And now, a mere 45 seconds after she was led upstairs, utterly distraught, she's talking normally and calmly and laughing with her Dad and discussing which pjs to wear...
Seems I forgot that little kids are expert manipulators...
