A scrunched up face. The "woe-is-me" look. Hands on the forehead. A very sad cry. Binkie on the floor.

All this and my resolve to not pick up my very tired child is nearly gone. She is in her crib and needs to take a nap. I look at her and want to sweep her into my arms and coo loving wrods into her ear, soothing her to sleep. But alas, she needs to get herself to sleep.

When I have given in, she thinks its playtime. Mommy's picking me up to play. She does not listen to my words of comfort. She does not hold still to be rocked. Back into the crib she goes.

And it starts over.