It has been weeks since I've slept more than a couple of hours in a row and I've come to the conclusion that sleep, while certainly nice and definitely coveted, is for p*ssies. Settle down, Sleep Police, I'll explain. I just hope I can finish before I completely pass out from utter exhaustion.
There was a time not long ago in my adult life - it seems like it was a lifetime ago - that I actually required nine-hours of sleep each night. NINE HOURS!! A third of the day spent in bed. . .just sleeping and dreaming my life away. I do very little in moderation and can think of nothing quite so decadent as my old sleep schedule. That said, I'm intensely envious of the hearty serving of sleep that my non-parent self used to enjoy and take for granted.
I'm currently operating on around four total hours of sleep. I know, I know, "It's just preparing you for when the baby comes." Yeah, well, I'm quite aware of the demands that an exclusively breastfed newborn puts on mama and I remember all too clearly the shockingly little amount of sleep that I had for months upon months after my son was born. I hate to state the obvious, but this baby won't be here for 18- to 22-weeks so I have plenty of time to get back into the no-sleep groove.
What is causing my sleep troubles? In a word, EVERYTHING!
My younger son begins kick up his heels at the same time each day. What time would that be? Around 1:00 or 2:00. . .in the morning. This wouldn't be such a big deal if his dance fever didn't last until around 4:00 or 5:00 am. I must confess that I still thrill at the feeling of his tiny hands and feet beating a tattoo against his uterine home. I just wish he'd do it when I'd ordinarily be awake.
My older son, not to be outdone by his little brother, has also started to wake up in the middle of the night. I can count on at least one (if not two or three!) nocturnal bedside visit from him. He might have to pee, he might walk in and ask if his father is home, his might even grab a carton of milk from the fridge and crawl into bed with it. Yes, that actually happened. The strangest thing he seems to be doing (stranger than the milk carton incident in my book) is wandering out of his bedroom to the living room and crawling up on my rocking chair where he promptly conks out; though he once sat up, gave me a funny look and said, "What's going on out here?" What indeed!
My body is also getting into the act and is my constant wake up whenever I actually am able to catch some winks between the shenanigans from my boys. First, my bladder is clearly way too small because I'm up half the night just to pee. Yes, I've tried limiting my fluid intake at night. No, it doesn't appear to make much difference because my baby will still jump up and down on my bladder and make me feel like I have to pee. Whether I actually do have to urinate is debatable because sometimes I think it's just the kicky pressure that gives me the sensation that I might have to pee, which of course wakes me up anyway.
If it's not my bladder signalling me to wake up, it's heartburn, gas, or my gallbladder. The pain in my chest is becoming a serious pain in the @ss. I can't sleep for hours if I'm awakened with the awful sensation that feels like I'm being run through with a sword. The pain is directly below my sternum and it goes straight through and out my back. I can't get a decent breath, let alone get comfortable enough to sleep, when this pain is presenting. I'm not inclined to believe it's heartburn for reasons I've previously detailed, but I can't say that it's my gallbladder either. That leaves gas so I'm not only getting fat, but I also have to fart. Lovely.
I'm not sleeping anywhere near the amount of hours I'd like and guess what? I'm still handling life. Poorly at times perhaps, but handling it nonetheless. Here's a thank you to my children and my body for showing me that, even with only a few hours to recharge each evening, I can do so much more than I could have ever dreamed. . .ah, dreams. . .zzzzzzzzz
Showing posts with label sleep. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sleep. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
What An Exhausting Day
It's been a long time since I've done this, but I am just too exhausted to even write a post today. It doesn't seem like I did much today, but I attended a playdate, witnessed my toddler's lunchtime mega-tantrum (seriously, it was epic), and had a naptime that was frustrated a few times before I just gave up on getting any rest this afternoon. I headed off my son's inevitable dinnertime tantrum when he discovered that I wasn't up to take him to Chuck E. Cheese's by telling him that we'd visit his Grandma & Grandpa. That was awesome and it was fun, but we stayed late and now I'm totally beat. Besides, it's time for me to deal with my prog suppos so I have to go to lie down in bed anyway.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Sleep Training a Stubborn Toddler
I suppose that sleep training sucks no matter the age of the "trainee," but it really sucks with a stubborn toddler. I'm pretty sure that it's human nature for children to test boundaries, but it's really getting old in my household. I feel like I'm engaged in a never-ending dance of two steps forward, one step back. Though I am the parent, there are times that I have the sinking suspicion that my son is the one calling the shots.
My 2 1/2-year old son used to be a fantastic sleeper. He slept at least twelve-hours every night once he started sleeping through the night - 7 to 7. I credited having a consistent and soothing bedtime routine, but I think I may have just been exceptionally lucky to have a SuperSleeper for a son.
As is always the case, my luck ran out.
He was totally potty trained shortly before his second birthday (luck again, no doubt, but read my blog posts about it if you're interested in my method), but he still wet himself every few nights. I moved him out of the crib to a "big boy bed" so that he could come get me if he had to pee in the night. Though it stopped nearly all night accidents, that's when all of our sleep troubles started. I would have moved him back to the crib, but this is also around the time that he discovered the joy of climbing and, since our floors are tile, I worried that he might end up seriously injured if he climbed/fell out of his crib.
After many weeks, he was back on track and sleeping through the night in his toddler bed. All that work was unraveled when I left the state to attend my only brother's service and I could not bring my son with me. I was gone for a week and I had never previously been away from my little guy for more than four hours in his entire life. It really messed him up to have me gone so long. Heck, it really messed me up too!
When I returned home, the little one slept in our bed for weeks afterward. We had never co-slept even once, but I figured that he needed the extra love & assurance so we obliged. We started transitioning him back to his own bedroom and what ultimately worked was lying down with him in the twin bed that is also in his room (he refused to sleep in the toddler bed) until he fell asleep. At that point, we'd sneak out of his room. Yes, we're lame sometimes. . .aren't all parents??
Obviously this was not be something that my husband and I wanted to do for very long, but it bought some much-needed peace in our home at bedtime and that is absolutely priceless to a young (ish) family. No jokes about our ages, okay?
Anyway, we inadvertently helped him develop what I consider to be a bad habit so we've been working with him to get him to fall asleep on his own again. It hasn't exactly been easy, and it has downright sucked sometimes, but I feel that we're making progress so I am encouraged to stay the course.
I simply tucked him in one night and did not lie down beside him. I told him that he is a big boy and we are proud of him. I gave him a kiss on the cheek, firmly massaged the area around his occipital bone, covered him in a blanket, and tucked him in. I added that we expected him to go to sleep and stay in his bed until morning comes. Does he understand even half of what I say to him? I have no idea, but I do it nonetheless.
I do not keep a baby gate in front of his bedroom door and he ran out of his room for about 1 1/2 hours that first night. I sat in a dining room chair out in the hall and I calmly returned him to his bed each time he opened his bedroom door. I told him the first couple of times that it's bedtime, but then I didn't even say anything as I put him back in the bed. Receiving no reaction must be terribly boring to a toddler because he went right to sleep once I began mechanically returning him to bed as though I were some sort of android.
By Day 4 of this sleep training experiment, he only left his room once before staying in his room and falling asleep. However, on Day 5 he ran out of his room five times - while we were trying to watch Iron Man 2, dangit!. . .two steps forward, one step back, right? In any event, I feel like progress is being made because neither my husband nor myself are forced to stare into the darkness of our son's bedroom while the little one falls asleep.
Note that I did have to cut his nap down to only one hour (it used to be between 1 1/2 to 3 hours every afternoon when he took one) and he doesn't get one at all if he doesn't take it by 2:30 pm. I drag him outside and let him run around for a bit if it is 2:30 pm and he is still awake. He doesn't take a nap, but he is practically snoozing at the dinner table on those days.
Sleep training. You know, it's a real drag sometimes. Stay the course and continue moving forward. Remember that so many parts of childhood are a temporary phase. If your "temporary" phase is lasting longer than you desire, try changing up how you deal with it. You never know what might work!
I want this post to be helpful and offer hope to other parents. For you veteran parents out there, how did you handle bedtime battles with your young ones?
My 2 1/2-year old son used to be a fantastic sleeper. He slept at least twelve-hours every night once he started sleeping through the night - 7 to 7. I credited having a consistent and soothing bedtime routine, but I think I may have just been exceptionally lucky to have a SuperSleeper for a son.
As is always the case, my luck ran out.
He was totally potty trained shortly before his second birthday (luck again, no doubt, but read my blog posts about it if you're interested in my method), but he still wet himself every few nights. I moved him out of the crib to a "big boy bed" so that he could come get me if he had to pee in the night. Though it stopped nearly all night accidents, that's when all of our sleep troubles started. I would have moved him back to the crib, but this is also around the time that he discovered the joy of climbing and, since our floors are tile, I worried that he might end up seriously injured if he climbed/fell out of his crib.
After many weeks, he was back on track and sleeping through the night in his toddler bed. All that work was unraveled when I left the state to attend my only brother's service and I could not bring my son with me. I was gone for a week and I had never previously been away from my little guy for more than four hours in his entire life. It really messed him up to have me gone so long. Heck, it really messed me up too!
When I returned home, the little one slept in our bed for weeks afterward. We had never co-slept even once, but I figured that he needed the extra love & assurance so we obliged. We started transitioning him back to his own bedroom and what ultimately worked was lying down with him in the twin bed that is also in his room (he refused to sleep in the toddler bed) until he fell asleep. At that point, we'd sneak out of his room. Yes, we're lame sometimes. . .aren't all parents??
Obviously this was not be something that my husband and I wanted to do for very long, but it bought some much-needed peace in our home at bedtime and that is absolutely priceless to a young (ish) family. No jokes about our ages, okay?
Anyway, we inadvertently helped him develop what I consider to be a bad habit so we've been working with him to get him to fall asleep on his own again. It hasn't exactly been easy, and it has downright sucked sometimes, but I feel that we're making progress so I am encouraged to stay the course.
I simply tucked him in one night and did not lie down beside him. I told him that he is a big boy and we are proud of him. I gave him a kiss on the cheek, firmly massaged the area around his occipital bone, covered him in a blanket, and tucked him in. I added that we expected him to go to sleep and stay in his bed until morning comes. Does he understand even half of what I say to him? I have no idea, but I do it nonetheless.
I do not keep a baby gate in front of his bedroom door and he ran out of his room for about 1 1/2 hours that first night. I sat in a dining room chair out in the hall and I calmly returned him to his bed each time he opened his bedroom door. I told him the first couple of times that it's bedtime, but then I didn't even say anything as I put him back in the bed. Receiving no reaction must be terribly boring to a toddler because he went right to sleep once I began mechanically returning him to bed as though I were some sort of android.
By Day 4 of this sleep training experiment, he only left his room once before staying in his room and falling asleep. However, on Day 5 he ran out of his room five times - while we were trying to watch Iron Man 2, dangit!. . .two steps forward, one step back, right? In any event, I feel like progress is being made because neither my husband nor myself are forced to stare into the darkness of our son's bedroom while the little one falls asleep.
Note that I did have to cut his nap down to only one hour (it used to be between 1 1/2 to 3 hours every afternoon when he took one) and he doesn't get one at all if he doesn't take it by 2:30 pm. I drag him outside and let him run around for a bit if it is 2:30 pm and he is still awake. He doesn't take a nap, but he is practically snoozing at the dinner table on those days.
Sleep training. You know, it's a real drag sometimes. Stay the course and continue moving forward. Remember that so many parts of childhood are a temporary phase. If your "temporary" phase is lasting longer than you desire, try changing up how you deal with it. You never know what might work!
I want this post to be helpful and offer hope to other parents. For you veteran parents out there, how did you handle bedtime battles with your young ones?
Monday, October 18, 2010
Toddler with a 'Tude
I have heard so much crying the last two days that I think it's restarting my milk supply. Okay, maybe not. I don't think it's possible to begin lactating again after going over one year without breastfeeding, but my nipples are tingling and my breasts are throbbing. . .I better not start soaking shirts again!
I am so sick of hearing whining and screaming in this house. If it doesn't stop soon, I think I may join in! My son has been a total grouch this entire weekend and, while today seemed like it was getting better, it quickly went downhill after dinner.
He hotly protested sleeping tonight, louder than I've ever heard, but he suddenly zonked out. I'm guessing it's exhaustion from all the howling he's been doing lately. Here's hoping that I get some good sleep tonight too!
I am so sick of hearing whining and screaming in this house. If it doesn't stop soon, I think I may join in! My son has been a total grouch this entire weekend and, while today seemed like it was getting better, it quickly went downhill after dinner.
He hotly protested sleeping tonight, louder than I've ever heard, but he suddenly zonked out. I'm guessing it's exhaustion from all the howling he's been doing lately. Here's hoping that I get some good sleep tonight too!
Monday, October 4, 2010
A Rainy Day AND a Fever, Really?
I left my son with my husband and went to a friend's house yesterday afternoon to watch a little torture porn. Okay, it wasn't technically billed as such, but it is a good description of the most compelling scenes of the movie. Do yourself a favor, save 2 1/2 hours of your life and skip The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. It is too long, too dry, and they really don't do a good job making you give a rip about any of the characters. Even the resolution at the end is terribly unsatisfying. Additionally, it's all subtitled. I kinda feel like if I'm going to take 2 1/2 hours to read a movie, I might as well read the book and get a better experience. Whatever.
Anyway, I thought that my son felt a little warm when I returned home. But my husband was cooking and the house felt warm too. The boy ate a hearty dinner so I thought he must feel fine.
He woke up twice before my husband and I even went to bed. Not a good sign, but he did have to use the toilet, so I wrote it off as too many fluids before bedtime. I could tell that his temperature was slightly elevated when he woke up the third time, around 1:30 am. He went potty and returned to his bed without complaint. At around 2:30 or 3:00 (my mind starts to get a little fuzzy at this point), the kiddo woke again. He was hot, he was upset, and he wasn't going back to sleep. I have no idea how long he stayed up, but I think it was a little over an hour.
His fever appeared gone this morning, but I could tell something is wrong besides being tired. His appetite has been off all day. He's been either clingy and quiet or clingy and screamy. Every now and then he offers vague complaints about "boo-boos." Just before naptime, the fever returned.
Have I mentioned that it is a rainy day here at my house? A rainy day as in rain is my kryponite. So I've been cooped up in the house all day with a potentially contagious and sickly toddler.
Tell me again why SAHMs don't qualify for hazard pay??
Anyway, I thought that my son felt a little warm when I returned home. But my husband was cooking and the house felt warm too. The boy ate a hearty dinner so I thought he must feel fine.
He woke up twice before my husband and I even went to bed. Not a good sign, but he did have to use the toilet, so I wrote it off as too many fluids before bedtime. I could tell that his temperature was slightly elevated when he woke up the third time, around 1:30 am. He went potty and returned to his bed without complaint. At around 2:30 or 3:00 (my mind starts to get a little fuzzy at this point), the kiddo woke again. He was hot, he was upset, and he wasn't going back to sleep. I have no idea how long he stayed up, but I think it was a little over an hour.
His fever appeared gone this morning, but I could tell something is wrong besides being tired. His appetite has been off all day. He's been either clingy and quiet or clingy and screamy. Every now and then he offers vague complaints about "boo-boos." Just before naptime, the fever returned.
Have I mentioned that it is a rainy day here at my house? A rainy day as in rain is my kryponite. So I've been cooped up in the house all day with a potentially contagious and sickly toddler.
Tell me again why SAHMs don't qualify for hazard pay??
Sunday, September 26, 2010
The Co-Sleeping Conundrum
Our son is still sleeping in our bed and, though I love him dearly, I'm really getting sick of our sleeping arrangements. One wouldn't think that a three-foot toddler would be all that troublesome, right? Wrong!
For starters, he will not actually fall asleep until the entire family is in the bed. I might add that I do not sleep early - ever. That means that he does not go to bed early enough - ever. A toddler who doesn't get enough sleep is probably the most unpleasant person on the planet.
He also doesn't stay put when he sleeps and he is prone to moving around. That might not sound so bad, but his arms and legs flail about all night long. All. Night. Long. Getting kicked in the head by an errant foot is a joy that I never expected to come with motherhood.
Worst of all, he sleeps right between his parents. This means that snuggling with my husband is impossible because we have a 25-pound toddler hogging prime snuggle space on our bed. And, well, anything that snuggling leads to is out the window for obvious reasons.
I know it sounds like we're totally inept, but we have tried EVERYTHING to get him to go to sleep in his own bed. Sometimes we even move him from our bed to his bed and that works. . .until he wakes and crawls up in our bed. Sadly, that is what we've had the most success doing. At this rate, I'll never conceive that second child we've been trying for these last 18-months!
So, co-sleeping parents, I need a little advice. How did you transition your co-sleeping child to their own bed and how long did it take? I don't want to traumatize my son, so also let me know how your child felt about the change. Also, um, how did you manage to do it while co-sleeping? As in it. Did you just do it on the couch? The car? The floor?
I know that his clingy-ness is surely a temporary phase, but it's really getting old fast.
For starters, he will not actually fall asleep until the entire family is in the bed. I might add that I do not sleep early - ever. That means that he does not go to bed early enough - ever. A toddler who doesn't get enough sleep is probably the most unpleasant person on the planet.
He also doesn't stay put when he sleeps and he is prone to moving around. That might not sound so bad, but his arms and legs flail about all night long. All. Night. Long. Getting kicked in the head by an errant foot is a joy that I never expected to come with motherhood.
Worst of all, he sleeps right between his parents. This means that snuggling with my husband is impossible because we have a 25-pound toddler hogging prime snuggle space on our bed. And, well, anything that snuggling leads to is out the window for obvious reasons.
I know it sounds like we're totally inept, but we have tried EVERYTHING to get him to go to sleep in his own bed. Sometimes we even move him from our bed to his bed and that works. . .until he wakes and crawls up in our bed. Sadly, that is what we've had the most success doing. At this rate, I'll never conceive that second child we've been trying for these last 18-months!
So, co-sleeping parents, I need a little advice. How did you transition your co-sleeping child to their own bed and how long did it take? I don't want to traumatize my son, so also let me know how your child felt about the change. Also, um, how did you manage to do it while co-sleeping? As in it. Did you just do it on the couch? The car? The floor?
I know that his clingy-ness is surely a temporary phase, but it's really getting old fast.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Co-Sleeping Kiddo
As I detailed on my old blog, we don't co-sleep with our son. I did it once and it really sucked. No, it REALLY FREAKING SUCKED!!
Since my brother passed away, my son has been co-sleeping. I initially figured it was because I spent two days weeping and wailing and he needed some extra reassurance. However, he is still in our bed now that I'm back home and things are somewhat back to normal.
We told him yesterday that it was bedtime and he started screaming when my husband was carrying him to his room. I asked if he wanted to go to bed and he yelled, "YES!" My husband put him down and the little guy ran to our room.
Wrong room, fella.
He not only ran to our room, turned on our bedroom light, and tossed his "appie" (burpie) on our bed. He also turned on our sound machine (ocean waves) and climbed up on our bed. He snuggled down in what has become "his" spot in the middle of the bed.
My husband and I looked at each other. I shrugged my shoulders, he turned off the light and shut the door. I whispered that if he goes to sleep I kinda don't care where he goes to bed. He not only didn't go to sleep, but he stayed up until we went to bed.
I had no idea just how lucky I was with my son, the SuperSleeper. I had no idea that moving him out of the crib and to a big boy bed would cause such a total chaos with his sleep pattern. I had no idea that a 2-year old's sleep (or lack thereof) could so thoroughly disrupt our home life.
I'm pretty bummed out with this co-sleeping arrangement. I like my space and I like my private time with my husband. But I don't despair.
If I've learned one thing in 2 years of motherhood, it's this: It's all just a phase. Meaning that things change all the time in the world of a young child. Today he likes fruit, tomorrow he hates it. He is obsessed with Elmo one day and then obsessed with the Wonder Pets the next. Yesterday he slept in our bed, today he sleeps in his bed.
Okay, okay, that last one might be wishful thinking.
Since my brother passed away, my son has been co-sleeping. I initially figured it was because I spent two days weeping and wailing and he needed some extra reassurance. However, he is still in our bed now that I'm back home and things are somewhat back to normal.
We told him yesterday that it was bedtime and he started screaming when my husband was carrying him to his room. I asked if he wanted to go to bed and he yelled, "YES!" My husband put him down and the little guy ran to our room.
Wrong room, fella.
He not only ran to our room, turned on our bedroom light, and tossed his "appie" (burpie) on our bed. He also turned on our sound machine (ocean waves) and climbed up on our bed. He snuggled down in what has become "his" spot in the middle of the bed.
My husband and I looked at each other. I shrugged my shoulders, he turned off the light and shut the door. I whispered that if he goes to sleep I kinda don't care where he goes to bed. He not only didn't go to sleep, but he stayed up until we went to bed.
I had no idea just how lucky I was with my son, the SuperSleeper. I had no idea that moving him out of the crib and to a big boy bed would cause such a total chaos with his sleep pattern. I had no idea that a 2-year old's sleep (or lack thereof) could so thoroughly disrupt our home life.
I'm pretty bummed out with this co-sleeping arrangement. I like my space and I like my private time with my husband. But I don't despair.
If I've learned one thing in 2 years of motherhood, it's this: It's all just a phase. Meaning that things change all the time in the world of a young child. Today he likes fruit, tomorrow he hates it. He is obsessed with Elmo one day and then obsessed with the Wonder Pets the next. Yesterday he slept in our bed, today he sleeps in his bed.
Okay, okay, that last one might be wishful thinking.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Hear Me RAWR!
Sometimes I swear that my body is out to get me.
I haven't been able to fall asleep until after 2:00 am for a couple of nights. Guess what? I still have to get up and take care of my son whether I've slept enough or not. That might not have been a problem 10 or 15 years ago, but I really have a hard time handling life when I'm over-tired. I don't eat dinner at 4:30 pm or watch Matlock reruns, but I'm not exactly a spry teenager or young adult any longer. My exhaustion got the better of me late this afternoon and I crashed out on the couch. I don't generally fall asleep easily, and certainly not on the couch, but I could not keep my eyes open for one more second. Thank goodness my husband was home for a little bit before returning to work this evening!
My breastmilk finally dried up completely around a month ago. I haven't had any leakage since then. My breasts have been a tingly mess since last night. I often felt the tingling right before let down or right after a nursing session. Maybe eating most of an entire bunch of kale (two batches of kale chips and colcannon) wasn't such a great idea. Don't think that eating kale has anything to do with anything? Guess again. Apparently kale is a food that can help increase breastmilk supply. Great. Just what I need. So much for my new favorite snack. Oh, man, it was so good though that it was totally worth my discomfort. Since my boobs hurt, that naturally means that my son has headbutted me in the breasts twice since yesterday. Ouch!
I'm tired, my boobs hurt, and I'm in a pretty irritable mood all around. Don't mess with me tonight, world, I'll take you all down if you so much as look at me funny! Sounds a lot like PMS to me. I think this might be one of those rare occasions that I go to sleep before my husband arrives home from work.
I haven't been able to fall asleep until after 2:00 am for a couple of nights. Guess what? I still have to get up and take care of my son whether I've slept enough or not. That might not have been a problem 10 or 15 years ago, but I really have a hard time handling life when I'm over-tired. I don't eat dinner at 4:30 pm or watch Matlock reruns, but I'm not exactly a spry teenager or young adult any longer. My exhaustion got the better of me late this afternoon and I crashed out on the couch. I don't generally fall asleep easily, and certainly not on the couch, but I could not keep my eyes open for one more second. Thank goodness my husband was home for a little bit before returning to work this evening!
My breastmilk finally dried up completely around a month ago. I haven't had any leakage since then. My breasts have been a tingly mess since last night. I often felt the tingling right before let down or right after a nursing session. Maybe eating most of an entire bunch of kale (two batches of kale chips and colcannon) wasn't such a great idea. Don't think that eating kale has anything to do with anything? Guess again. Apparently kale is a food that can help increase breastmilk supply. Great. Just what I need. So much for my new favorite snack. Oh, man, it was so good though that it was totally worth my discomfort. Since my boobs hurt, that naturally means that my son has headbutted me in the breasts twice since yesterday. Ouch!
I'm tired, my boobs hurt, and I'm in a pretty irritable mood all around. Don't mess with me tonight, world, I'll take you all down if you so much as look at me funny! Sounds a lot like PMS to me. I think this might be one of those rare occasions that I go to sleep before my husband arrives home from work.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
The Baby Ninja
I woke up in bed this morning and sleepily opened an eye. I nearly jumped out of my skin because I didn't expect to see what I saw. My son's sweet face was just a couple of inches away from mine.
When my husband woke up, the kiddo was in his own bed. In less than an hour, the boy must have woke up and crawled into our bed. What I can't figure out is how the little guy managed to exit his room (he even shut his door!), enter our room, and crawl into our bed without making any noise. All of our doors creak or squeak. Sound echoes throughout the house, thanks to our tiled floors. Crawling up into our bed takes some effort and makes the mattress move. How in the world was he so stealthy that neither my husband nor I were tipped off to his early morning adventure?
I think my son is a Baby Ninja.
When my husband woke up, the kiddo was in his own bed. In less than an hour, the boy must have woke up and crawled into our bed. What I can't figure out is how the little guy managed to exit his room (he even shut his door!), enter our room, and crawl into our bed without making any noise. All of our doors creak or squeak. Sound echoes throughout the house, thanks to our tiled floors. Crawling up into our bed takes some effort and makes the mattress move. How in the world was he so stealthy that neither my husband nor I were tipped off to his early morning adventure?
I think my son is a Baby Ninja.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
A Long Weekend is Finally Finished
MrsHashBrown had an impossibly busy weekend. I love entertaining, but it can be exhausting if you do it properly. I'm so tired that I asked my husband to make dinner. I even snoozed on the couch - and I NEVER sleep anywhere besides my bed. My brain can't focus and I can barely construct a sentence so I'm going to prematurely end this post so I can catch a few ZZZs.
The little Tater Tot didn't have a single accident this weekend!
The little Tater Tot didn't have a single accident this weekend!
Friday, May 14, 2010
Food Prep Sucks
I spent the entire day washing, slicing, chopping, and dicing. We're having family over tomorrow and my mother came over for a few hours today to help me do a little food prep. We made two huge containers of potato salad, prepped the veggies to make two loaves of meat, made three tubs of dip, and assembled a few veggie trays.
In the middle of the work, my son thought it would be a good idea to throw granulated garlic all over the kitchen floor. He also thought it would be helpful to claim that he had to go "poo-poo" whenever he was bored or wanted attention. Thankfully Grandma was amused by his antics and she willingly took him to the potty whenever he asked for help.
I am exhausted and my feet are killing me. Tomorrow I have to wake early so I can get the house cleaned up before our families arrive to celebrate. I'm hoping that I fall asleep at a decent hour tonight.
In the middle of the work, my son thought it would be a good idea to throw granulated garlic all over the kitchen floor. He also thought it would be helpful to claim that he had to go "poo-poo" whenever he was bored or wanted attention. Thankfully Grandma was amused by his antics and she willingly took him to the potty whenever he asked for help.
I am exhausted and my feet are killing me. Tomorrow I have to wake early so I can get the house cleaned up before our families arrive to celebrate. I'm hoping that I fall asleep at a decent hour tonight.
Monday, March 29, 2010
A Day Out of Balance
All it takes is one little thing to be out of balance and the entire day falls apart.
There was a bit of drama last night and I never did get around to eating dinner. I think that's what started it all. I wasn't able to go to sleep until a little after four this morning. Obviously, the official start of my day began waaay too early.
I knew that my MIL would need my help today. I brought lunch & dinner and cleaned up the kitchen. I meant to run to the grocery store for her, but I ran out of time. We enjoyed a nice visit until my son needed his nap.
My son didn't care that I was exhausted from the moment I woke up because he really needed his mama today. He kept telling me he was "tie tie" (tired) and he started running a fever at around lunch time. The only things he ate today were 1 cup of milk, one bite of cheese, one bite of pear, 1/2 a cookie, a cup of juice, and a cup of water. My son typically eats like a horse and his lack of appetite worries me far more than the fever. He refused every single thing I put in front of him tonight. And he refused every beverage I offered. I feel horrible that my son went to bed with no dinner.
Though he ate virtually nothing all day, he somehow ended up with diarrhea. Horribly smelly, gooey, and messy diarrhea. Did I mention that this was in a cloth diaper? A cloth diaper with gathering at the legs. That was the frosting on the cake of my day. Make that the poop frosting on the crap cake of my day.
My poor little babe only wanted to cuddle before drifting off to sleep. I held him close, humming his favorite bedtime song. He kept kissing me over and over again. Of course, I kept kissing him over and over again too.
Here's hoping that my son improves overnight and tomorrow is a much better day.
There was a bit of drama last night and I never did get around to eating dinner. I think that's what started it all. I wasn't able to go to sleep until a little after four this morning. Obviously, the official start of my day began waaay too early.
I knew that my MIL would need my help today. I brought lunch & dinner and cleaned up the kitchen. I meant to run to the grocery store for her, but I ran out of time. We enjoyed a nice visit until my son needed his nap.
My son didn't care that I was exhausted from the moment I woke up because he really needed his mama today. He kept telling me he was "tie tie" (tired) and he started running a fever at around lunch time. The only things he ate today were 1 cup of milk, one bite of cheese, one bite of pear, 1/2 a cookie, a cup of juice, and a cup of water. My son typically eats like a horse and his lack of appetite worries me far more than the fever. He refused every single thing I put in front of him tonight. And he refused every beverage I offered. I feel horrible that my son went to bed with no dinner.
Though he ate virtually nothing all day, he somehow ended up with diarrhea. Horribly smelly, gooey, and messy diarrhea. Did I mention that this was in a cloth diaper? A cloth diaper with gathering at the legs. That was the frosting on the cake of my day. Make that the poop frosting on the crap cake of my day.
My poor little babe only wanted to cuddle before drifting off to sleep. I held him close, humming his favorite bedtime song. He kept kissing me over and over again. Of course, I kept kissing him over and over again too.
Here's hoping that my son improves overnight and tomorrow is a much better day.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Is There Such a Thing As Too Much Sleep?
My son wasn't always a good sleeper.
He has always been a light sleeper and wakes easily; I don't think he'd be able to sleep a wink if we didn't have a sound machine running all night in his room. He used to nurse every 1 1/2 hours for the first five months of his life. He absolutely could not nap alone in his own bed until he was around nine months old; he slept on my chest for every nap or he didn't nap at all. I can count on my fingers the amount of times that he has fallen asleep in the car.
He has become a super-sleeper.
He typically goes to bed at 7:00 pm and wakes at 7:00 am. He has been sleeping these twelve-hours for well over a year. He has only recently dropped his morning nap, but he'll still take a three hour nap in the afternoon.
Lately his sleeping habits have changed. He'll sleep anywhere from 13- to 15-hours each night. His three hour nap sometimes lasts for four hours. I appreciate the quiet, but all this sleeping makes me miss my little guy.
I know a lot of parents who struggle with sleep problems and, goodness knows, I've been there, but I'm starting to wonder if I should try to limit his sleep. How much sleep is too much sleep? Is there such a thing?
He has always been a light sleeper and wakes easily; I don't think he'd be able to sleep a wink if we didn't have a sound machine running all night in his room. He used to nurse every 1 1/2 hours for the first five months of his life. He absolutely could not nap alone in his own bed until he was around nine months old; he slept on my chest for every nap or he didn't nap at all. I can count on my fingers the amount of times that he has fallen asleep in the car.
He has become a super-sleeper.
He typically goes to bed at 7:00 pm and wakes at 7:00 am. He has been sleeping these twelve-hours for well over a year. He has only recently dropped his morning nap, but he'll still take a three hour nap in the afternoon.
Lately his sleeping habits have changed. He'll sleep anywhere from 13- to 15-hours each night. His three hour nap sometimes lasts for four hours. I appreciate the quiet, but all this sleeping makes me miss my little guy.
I know a lot of parents who struggle with sleep problems and, goodness knows, I've been there, but I'm starting to wonder if I should try to limit his sleep. How much sleep is too much sleep? Is there such a thing?
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