Baby nightmares?

Rachel woke up at 3 a.m. Sunday, screaming and crying inconsolably. I walked into her room and she was kneeling in the crib with a distressed look on her face. So I picked her up, brought her to the glider and slowly rocked her back down to sleep. When I put her back in the crib, she cried again, then went to sleep.

Last night she was very hard to get down -- kept screaming as if all hell was breaking loose. Finally Drew got her to sleep at around 11. She cried out at 3 a.m., but then pressed one of the buttons on the music box we've fastened to the crib. It plays gentle lullabies, and it's clear she uses that to get her back to sleep.

This morning she wasn't very cheerful when I walked in her room, probably because I had to make the bed and throw on some clothes before I got there. But she started smiling when I read her the two big picture books she grabs for every morning -- "Clip-clop," about a horse who lets all the barnyard animals ride on his back; and "Ten little fingers and ten little toes" about babies born all over the world.

At daycare, she cried when I set her down on the playmat. Since no one was available to take her, I cuddled her into my chest and rocked her on one of the gliders. Then, when one of the daycare ladies tried to pick her up, she clung to me. Her little fingers grabbed onto my shirt and wouldn't let go!

Of course, as soon as she was in someone else's arms, she forgot Mommy immediately. I have a feeling when I pick her up later, she'll be so happy playing that she won't want to go home!