"I should try putting her in her crib," I thought to myself. But then the Nope-asaurus walked by and set me straight.

Nope.

Nope.

Nope.

All the nopes. The baby who currently sleeps best when attached to me stayed right where she was, sound asleep in my arms.

Oh, how time and experience change things.

Nine years ago, when Alexis was wee, I would have fought the fight. I would have forged through a shaky bedtime ritual with a sleepy little girl then patiently waged war. THOU SHALL SLEEP IN THY CRIB! IT'S THE ONLY WAY!

Hindsight being 20/20 and all of that, I now know that following the "rules" about sleep and all that BS is exactly that. Little people will sleep when little people want to sleep. Screw you and your insistence that they do it according to some sort of training program, Dr. Ferber and Dr. Sears.

Time and experience tell me that the baby who could sleep through me doing jumping jacks through Times Square on New Years Eve as long as she's touching me, but who wakes up the very instant I eye her crib, is best off right where she is.

In my arms.

For hours on end.

This parenting the second time around stuff sure is fantastic.