Progress?

You know you're in trouble when you characterize "slightly less hysterical screaming" as a marked improvement, but that seems to be where we are.

Rachel had a board meeting tonight, so I put the kids to bed on my own, night three of the single-room lifestyle. At just a little bit later than usual, I took the girls upstairs for milk and books. I explained very persistently the whole plan about going to bed without screaming, and they agreed that it all sounded to good, but when it came down to it: not so much.

Actually, Elizabeth was a perfect angel tonight, going straight to her bed after lights out, and staying there, without any fuss, through all the distractions that ensued. She was sound asleep long before you'd expect any non-deaf person to be. Miranda, on the other hand, was having none of it. She was all lip-service through books and milk, and light's out, but once she refused to say good night to the horse I knew it was all a sham. Screaming happened within the minute.

I held her for a few minutes and tried to calm her down, because she seemed genuinely scared, and she calmed down a bit, but only if I was right there. Not quite sure what to do, I improvised a plan on the spot, and decided that Parker and I would read books in the bedroom tonight, so both girls could listen if they wanted.

This plan started out pretty well, and Miranda was quiet as a mouse. But then she started whimpering, and then moaning, and then calling out for Mommy. I addressed her a few times, but largely kept on reading. Eventually, she was crying hysterically, while Parker and I kept reading books six feet away. Parker was a real sport about the whole thing.

While I was reading to him and listening to Miranda scream, I was transported back to the hysterics Parker used to put up at bedtime for a while. As I watched Miranda occasionally let her screaming lull long enough to sneak a peek my way, it was clear that all she wanted—just like her brother used to—was not to be left alone. Parker and I finished our books, and he hopped into bed while I sat with my hand on Miranda's back, shushing her into calm, and then into sleepiness.

Eventually Parker told me he had to go pee, so I sent him downstairs and stayed with Miranda. When he called out, "That doesn't look like a pee, that looks like a poop!" I whispered in Miranda's ear that I was going to help Parker, and she didn't tense up, so I figured she'd be ok.

When I'd finished with Parker downstairs, I sent him back upstairs to hop in bed, and I loitered downstairs for another five minutes to see if Miranda would erupt, which she didn't. Then I went back up and sat with Parker for 10 minutes or so while we whispered to eachother about sisters, and swim class, and Jenna, and how it's hard for Miranda to go to bed because she's still a little girl and she gets scared. As I kissed him goodnight, he said, "I will watch the girls in their beds," and I told him they were lucky to have him for a big brother.