Alice 1, Mommy 0

Dearest Alice,

You win. I admit it. I don't know what I was thinking trying to spend time with friends after your bedtime at Alissa's house. I thought you would go right to sleep in the nice bed that I had brought with me. I thought you would enjoy the attention of all my childless friends, and I thought you would have no problem driving home after midnight and falling asleep in your own bed. I really was out of my mind.

I should have realized that this was never going to work when you fell asleep in the car at 6:30 on the way there. Of course you had no desire to go to sleep at your normal bedtime after that nap, so right away we were off to a bad start. When I finally did decide to put you down, you let me know - in no uncertain terms - that you were not happy about going to sleep in this strange place at this strange time.

Waking you up at midnight was probably not the smartest thing to do either, but we had to go home at some point - I'm pretty sure Alissa wanted her room back. You had every right to cry all the way home. If someone woke me up in the middle of the night and drove me around for half an hour, I would cry too.

I don't blame you for taking a long time to fall asleep when we got home, but did you need to wake up three hours later and stay awake until I nursed you (even though you couldn't possibly have been hungry after only three hours of sleep)? Did you really need to nurse for two and a half hours? I know you have the remarkable ability to nurse and sleep, but mommy is not equipped with this option.

I understand now. Your naps and night sleep are precarious at best. I vow to honor your variable sleep. I will not take you over to my friend's house late at night. I will strive to always be home and ready to put you down for your nap whenever you decide it is time. I will give up a semblance of my own life to cater to your sleep, and all I ask in return is that you give me 5 hours of sleep in a row at night. Please...