Shhhhhhhh....

My official statement as a working mom is that I cherish every moment I spend with Ella B when I get home from work.

The truth is, sometimes I feel like I already need a break after five minutes with her.

Yesterday I picked her up from daycare and it started right off the bat. Whining. For no apparent reason.

She didn't want to leave school and I had to practically karate chop her to get her into her car seat. She fussed and cried the whole way home talking about "Nene," "Pop pop," and "Dada" and wondering why any of them weren't coming to recue her from the evil that is the drive home from daycare. She also cried because she wanted to hold my keys while I was driving the car.

When we finally got home (it takes about ten minutes) several things caused her to burst into hysterics:

1. I put her down for three seconds
2. I took my shoes off
3. I refused to take my dress off in the driveway
4. I sat down
5. I went to the bathroom
6. I tried to clean the kitchen
7. I gave her water instead of juice
8. I breathed wrong (not really, but you get the idea)

I love Ella B dearly, but after a long day spent with teenagers, I don't have a lot of patience left for whiny attitudes. Finally, I laid down on the livingroom floor and just let her cry for a minute as she told me to get "upa" and tried to pull me to a standing position.

And then, just when I thought I might explode, something happened. I think babies must have some cuteness survivial technique to keep their mothers from eating them or sending them down the river with a note. As I laid there, Ni Hao Kai Lan came on and Ella turned to look. She watched as Kai Lan turned to the audience and placed her pointer finger against her mouth and whispered "shhh." Just then, Ella looked at me and placed her own pointer finger against her own mouth (and partly up her left nostril) and said "shhh" and I thought, "Damn, that's the cutest thing you've ever done."

And then there was peace.