Lizzy in Other People's Houses

Lizzy sleeps better at my mom's house, no question. She goes to sleep more easily and naps longer, and well... naps on something approaching a regular schedule as well. Part of this is the more relaxed and quieter environment at my mom's - she does not sleep nearly so well at Mom's when Abby is there too - and part is simple family dynamic. Mom's a lot more no-nonsense than I am, and they watch "gwown-up shows" (aka soap operas) while Lizzy is dropping off. Apparently my grown-up shows are just too exciting to let her sleep, and when I try to do nothing so there's little stimulation for her, she makes her own stimulation; she giggles and flips around and cries and fusses. Occasionally we've tried holding her still, knowing that if she would just stop moving for a few minutes she'd drop like a stone. That rarely goes over well; she hates being restrained and it gets quite loud (and we live in an apartment). We've started putting her to bed early - if her dad puts her to bed she is far more likely to stay there - and there has been much drama thereby, but it's gotten slightly less each night. Eventually it will get to where it is down to book-brush-bed without angst, but we need to be consistent for several weeks, I expect.

Of course, Lizzy is ah... energetic under most circumstances. When she's one on one she is the sweetest child in the world - affectionate, kind, generous -  but the moment a third party comes into the mix she becomes a wild animal. This is more marked if the third party is a child or a visitor; less so if it's just the adults - me, my mom, Lizzy's dad - who are her regular caregivers. The last couple holidays have been exciting - her baby cousin is now big enough to play, but not yet big enough to hold her own against Excited-Lizzy. I'm not sure Abby is big enough to hold her own against Excited-Lizzy.

Heck, I'm not sure I am.