Manipulation

And the manipulation begins....
We recently removed the bumper pad for several reasons. 1. She moves around so much in the crib that she often fell asleep with her face pressed completely against the bumper pad. 2. She began to play with the bumper pad rather than sleeping during nap time. 3. Our pediatrician warned us that they begin to use the bumper pad to pull themselves up and later use it to climb out of the crib.
Yesterday when I put A. down for her late nap, she fought it as usual. She always fights this nap but is unbearably cranky without it. So I was keeping an eye on her through the video monitor when I noticed she had her arm through the slats of the crib. I was worried about this when we took the bumper pad out, so I continued to watch it. Sure enough, she had her arm stuck and got very upset when she realized she couldn't get it back in. It actually wasn't stuck, but she couldn't figure out that she had to straighten her arm to get it back in the crib. She started screaming at the top of her lungs when she couldn't get it back in the crib. I went up there, pulled her arm back through, calmed her down and then put her back in the crib. Boy was she upset then! Fortunately she didn't get it stuck again and she did end up falling asleep and took a good nap.
Today when I put her down for her morning nap, she began babbling to herself like she usually does. Then I heard her screaming at the top of her lungs just like yesterday, but it would be one scream and then she'd stop. I looked at her on the monitor and she was in the middle of the crib, on her back and nothing was wrong. She continued to make that loud scream several times and waited to see if I'd come get her. The little stinker! She is already trying to manipulate me! :) Fortunately I have a secret weapon....the video monitor!