My Daughter Needs a Tip Jar...Apparently

This past weekend Matt and I started sleep training Layla so that she can sleep in her own crib in her own room. This decision was preceded by our 4 month check-up with our doctor who agreed that now is the time to make the transition, especially since I hadn't been sleeping well over the last few months with her in our bed. I knew it was the right thing to do but, I had no idea how hard it would be emotionally to send our sweet little baby packin' to her own room.

We decided to start on Saturday night because that day she had a photo shoot with Kevin (who did our maternity photos) and I did not want a crabby baby for pictures. That first night was brutal putting her down to sleep all by her lonesome in her crib and leaving the room. She slept for a half and hour and then woke up screaming looking for comfort from Mommy like she is used to getting. We used the "graduated extinction" method where you let your baby cry in timed intervals gradually increasing the time between going in to soothe them. It was a very long rough night with her waking up every hour, however as time went on, the intervals were shorter before she would fall asleep.

All in all, we made it through the night but by morning we were all incredibly sleep deprived and not feeling well. Matt and I decided to spend the day in sweats and not do anything, despite the fact that it was Superbowl Sunday (yay Saints, btw). We did however, go to Panera for lunch, sweats and all and who knew it would be such a lucrative lunch. When we got there I found a table with Layla and Matt ordered our food. As we ate we took turns holding her, as she is simply not satisfied sitting in her carseat anymore when we are out to eat. We talked and Layla smiled and looked adorable (as usual) and as we were finishing up, the woman sitting at the table by herself behind us puts $20 on our table and says that she would like to buy our lunch. I was incredibly confused...did she think we were poor because we were dressed like bums (my iPhone was sitting on the table)? Did she feel bad for us because she thought we were teen parents (a common misconception Matt and I always deal with, we get carded to see R rated movies)? Or was she just trying to do something nice? I told her she did not have to do that and that I could not accept it, however she insisted saying that one look at Layla's big blue eyes and she had to and that I must accept it. She was very insistent so instead of continuing to argue with her, I took the money and will put it towards Layla's college fund (or more realistically, her ever growing wardrobe). It is very nice to know that there are sweet people out there in the world who do generous things for no good reason. I think from now on when we go out in public with Layla, we'll just put a tip jar on the table and see what happens. The kid sure knows how to earn her keep :)