I found myself coping with an atypical schedule babysitting for Mabel Watson Payne today. Her sleeping patterns had become mildly unhinged (as is bound to happen from time to time). She was often awake last night, I was told, and then turned out to be smilingly unwilling to take her accustomed rest this afternoon. By dint of walking the floor with her and jiggling her against my shoulder and singing Swing Low Sweet Chariot in a bass voice over and over again (approximately 47 times) I did eventually hypnotize this amiable but wakeful child into falling asleep about 3:30 -- two hours later than the current norm.
But it turned out to be good long nap -- from which she woke up merrily ravenous.
A bottle of mother's milk followed by large quantities of organic peas and organic ground meat (derived from what sort of organic animal I do not know) produced smiling enthusiasm and endless babbling baby comments.
I must also add (as a postscript) that the standing up unsupported (as seen below) is taken for granted now, and Mabel Watson Payne no longer considers it a matter for special notice or infant self-esteem.
