[Endofjune]

Hi,

A week from now I'm supposed to join my husband to three (his) work related cocktail parties. I could skip one; maybe two, but I must at least go to one.

My 9 mo will not be happy. My father and his wife, who she sees quite often, will come to babysit, but still. I left her with them for twenty minutes today to spend some special time with my second, and she did not like that at all! She cried a lot for the last ten. She is so well attached to me that whenever I try to sleep a little late and put her in the living room with her siblings and father after she woke up; she keeps on crawling right back to me.

:

I feel so bad for her! I can't take her, the one party I should attend is very formal; at the residency of an Embassador. It will be from 630 pm till 830 pm. We could go shorter, but with the travel and all; it will still keep us away from her for a good three hours.

What would you do?

 

[anricat]

We are going to DH's 20th high school reunion this weekend. I think I'm just going to take DD because she's got such bad separation anxiety right now. To hell with it!

 

[Endofjune]

That is sort of what I was thinking; she has it so bad, these days. But then again, being the SAHM and my husband enabeling that and this being his work, and, you know?

 

[littlebabydoll]

Could you wear her in a wrap/sling? The hours sound reasonable for a child. Will it be a low key coctail party or loud with lots of music/dancing? Maybe leave a bit early to make bed time? Just diaper her before you head home. I imagine she'd fall asleep on the car ride home? If she gets fussy their for any reason, slip out the door or head to a bathroom?

 

[Endofjune]

I'd love to, but she is our most physically active one, gets really cranky when she can't move. Ohhhh, maybe we just should't go. But then again, we could sure use the career opportunity it might bring

 

[EzzysMom]

I know it's not perhaps the most ideal solution, but could your husband give his apologies that his wife is ill? and you stay home, or is he the one that really wants you to go?

 

[russsk]

We had something similar last year. We had friends watch DS close by the party, which was an hour from our house. Could you possibly get a hotel room near the party, so if you need to get back quickly you can? At the very least it would cut down on the time you're away.

DS didn't cry when we left, but sleep time was very rough. It wasn't an ideal solution, but it was important for us to go to the party.

 

[LadyCatherine185]

what if you brought her and a babysitter with you to the party, and they stayed in another room of the house away from the party?

probably won't work.. but just throwing that out there...

 

[veganf]

I would either bring her or I wouldn't go. If she is upset without you, I simply wouldn't do it. Too bad if people don't understand or judge you, you know best.

 

[Honey693]

Is there anything that always makes her happy? Applesauce and stroller walks always make DD happy/sleepy so whenever someone else has to watch her I make sure they're doing one of those things before I leave.

 

[Endofjune]

Thanks Mamas for all your thoughts! What we'll probably do now is this: We'll leave her with my father and his wife, twenty minutes from the party, and ask them not to let her cry alone, whatever happens. We'll keep the stroller ready, homeopathic stress relief and lots of distraction in food form. And then we'll pray. I'll keep you posted on how it went and thanks again.