Dear Lilly

Lilly,

Oh how I love you. You are the sweetest, happy go lucky baby that our family has every had.  Just one question.   Do you ever plan on sleeping again?  I am not trying to threaten you, but we've never had to let your big sisters cry themselves to sleep until they were at least 10 months old.   This is the way it is supposed to work.  You nurse to sleep, I lay you down and then...you sleep.  Not for 10 minutes.  Not for 15.  Normally, you should sleep for about 2 hours.  I would even be happy with 1.  Do you realize that you didn't sleep for more than 5 minutes all day long yesterday?  

I do realize that this is partly my fault.  First we lived in the townhome, with no bed for you.  Then we moved into our house and couldn't find the hardware to the crib.  I didn't mind because we just cuddled you all night long.  Then daddy had his stroke and I really enjoyed having you in the bed so I wasn't all alone.  Plus, you are so nice to cuddle.  Daddy is home, we have a playpen until I locate those elusive crib parts and I think it just might be time.  It is this recent all night long buffet and constant waking up that has me sleep deprived and writing this letter to you, begging you to....sleep.  Please?  Can we sleep today?  Just a little longer than 5 minutes?  I don't know how you are so happy on such a small amount of sleep, but I really do think that you will enjoy getting more sleep.  Really.  Trust me.  Please?  Maybe you could start by choosing one.  You could sleep during the day a little or sleep through the night?  Consider it a compromise of sorts.