Feel a little bad...

Strunella

Today was a crazy busy day at work.  DH picked me up from the train station tonight and we went straight to a 7:00 meeting.  MIL was watching DS.  After our meeting, we called MIL to tell her we were going to grab some dinner and to put DS in his night diaper before bed at 8:00.

When we got home, she said he was a little fussy and crying so she ended up holding him until he fell asleep. This the first time someone else put DS to sleep and I forgot to tell MIL about his routine!  He always sleeps with his FP seahorse.  No seahorse tonight.  Maybe that's why he was fussy.  Also, if he's a little cranky, I just let him be and I don't pick him up.  He will fall asleep in about 5-10 minutes on his own. 

I was so interested in my sushi dinner, I forgot to share DS's nighty-night rituals.  Boo me.

NewMrs07

It's OK, it looks like your MIL handled everything just fine. And by the way, you're so lucky that she takes care of him all day like that. My parents watched LO for the first 8 months of his life and they were always complaining about how much work it was, especially my dad. I don't think they would watch him every day now that he's a toddler. It's a tough job, grandparents that watch their grandchildren are heroes!

lawry13

Don't feel too bad.  I watched my niece overnight a couple weeks ago and I know her nightly routine by heart (my sister and I spend a lot of time together) and she didn't go down like she does for her mom.  My sister had no problems the next day getting her down the next night.

 I completely agree with NewMrs07.  Grandparents that watch their grandchildren are heroes.  My dad would be more likely to watch DD than my mom (they are still married).  My mom acts like my toddler is a handful sometimes.  My dad doesn't have a problem with her.  He takes her for walks to the park.  Let's her play and then brings her home.  He is a great grandfather!

pahokie

Eh, it was one night, and he did sleep.  Yay for a MIL who can handle things without wigging out and calling you every five minutes! (and as pp mentioned, who is willing to watch LO).

BrideBuddies

Don't feel bad.  He did go to sleep eventually, so that's good that he can sleep without his usual routine.

Now opening a big ol' can of worms here.... I am not fortunate enough to have family near me for babysitting.  But even if my mom did live nearby, I'd rarely call on her to babysit.   To me, handing my infant/toddler over to a 60-70 year old person who hasn't really been around children in 30 or 40 years is just crazy.  It's not like riding a bicycle.   Plus, I figure grandparents have earned the right to enjoy their lives without having to take care of a baby every day, even if they say they want to do it.  It gets tiring even for me, so I know it'd be too much for Grandma.  

FWIW, my cousin often "dumps" her three young kids on her parents all the time and my 70-year-old aunt and uncle were just about worn out from it but just can't say "no" to her.     

vanverth

I know that your MIL just hated to have that baby snuggle up against her and fall asleep.  I am sure that it was pure torture.  How could you do that to that poor old woman?   

Strunella

Actually, we have a nanny.  MIL just fills in when nanny can't make it or as was the case last night, after nanny went home.  MIL works PT during the school year though, so we have had some scrambling when there is a nanny flake-out and MIL has to work.

We did initially ask MIL if she would watch DS when I returned to work, but she declined.  And but for the huge expense of the nanny, I was totally fine with it.  I agree that I think DS has much more structure with the nanny than he would with Grandma.  I can also tell the nanny how I want things done, and she obliges because I'm paying her.  It would be much harder to lay out my rules to MIL.

Ha, ha Vanverth.  I figured MIL let him squeak for 30 seconds and then said, "Oh! Better scoop him up!"  But it's ok.  I really felt worse about the seahorse.

BrideBuddies

Strunella:

Actually, we have a nanny.  MIL just fills in when nanny can't make it or as was the case last night, after nanny went home.  MIL works PT during the school year though, so we have had some scrambling when there is a nanny flake-out and MIL has to work.

We did initially ask MIL if she would watch DS when I returned to work, but she declined.  And but for the huge expense of the nanny, I was totally fine with it.  I agree that I think DS has much more structure with the nanny than he would with Grandma.  I can also tell the nanny how I want things done, and she obliges because I'm paying her.  It would be much harder to lay out my rules to MIL.

Ha, ha Vanverth.  I figured MIL let him squeak for 30 seconds and then said, "Oh! Better scoop him up!"  But it's ok.  I really felt worse about the seahorse.

Stru.. that's absolutely perfectly fine since you don't rely 100% on your parents for daycare... just once in a while.  No problem with that at all.   I just get judgy (as in my cousin's case) when the parents pretty much expect the grandparents to pitch in all the time.    That kind of thing gets my dander up.