Oy!

I have inadvertently discovered something in the middle of the night: I am allergic to cardboard. The allergy part is obvious. There was the usual sneezing, watery eyes, excessive (and I mean excessive) running of the nose along with wheezing. Now, why (I hear you ask), did I disover this fact in the middle of the night? The answer to this question requires a two-pronged response. (1) our daughter was up for 2 hours from 2:30-4:30 (YES, A.M.) in the morning. I do not know what is causing this night-waking. Perhaps it's the impending 10 day vacation at the grandparents. One can just see the wheels turning in her angelic little head imagining all the things she'll get to do while at Grandma & Grandpa's or Mimi & Papa's that she is normally prohibited from doing. Or perhaps it has something to do with being newly potty-trained as Andy and I both have heard the words "pee-pee" and "poop" coming from her room in the middle of the night as part of her evening, in-sleep monologue. Either way, Emma was up for 2 hours so we were all up for 2 hours - including the cats who thought this the perfect opportunity to practice their circus act on the end of our bed while we were trying to lull said wide-awake 2 year old back to sleep. Reason (2) for my newfound allergy. Our house is now 7/10 cardboard, 2/10 house, 1/10 inhabitants. My child cannot even see me when I am reading her bedtime story because of the boxes piled high in the floor of her room. Moving is ridiculous. Again, I am seriously considering converting to a spartan existence involving burlap sacks and pots and pans for Emma's toys. I think she'll look charming with a bit of twine tied round her waist to keep the burlap sack in place for preschool.