Happy Earth Day!
Can I just say that I love the men who comment on my blog? Did you see what they wrote on the QotW about confidence? I can confidently speak for all women everywhere that we love you guys. Can you teach classes or write a How To book or something? Better yet, let's all agree to advertise their blogs and send links to all the men we know! Check out My Goofy Daddy and I'm Not Skippy and be jealous of their wives! I would be jealous, but Londo is right up there with them... I mean even above them!! I'll link to Londo's blog, but he doesn't ever update it.
Here's something else I'm confident about: If the Pumpkin doesn't start sleeping through until morning again pretty soon, I will LOSE MY MIND!!!
Remember when I wrote about how the Pumpkin sleep trained herself and I said I knew it wouldn't last? Of course it didn't. Between the teething of molars, the sickness, a developmental spurt and the fact that the stars are in retrograde, we have been in another sleep regression.
Let me tell you a little story about what happened in the early hours of this morning, and you all tell me if this sounds familiar...
The Pumpkin woke up crying a little after 4:00 AM. I got up, went in her nursery, picked her up and walked around with her. That wasn't doing it for her, so I sat down and rocked a little, but HECK NO, that wasn't what she wanted. So I just nursed her. That settled her down... way down... but not quite to sleep. So we switched sides and kept nursing. And then I tried just rocking (because damn I was sore), and then more nursing. You get the picture.
Finally, after over an hour, she had fallen asleep. She was well and good asleep. I debate whether or not to keep rocking her and maybe doze off a bit in the glider/recliner. But I was uncomfortable and it was after 5:00 and I wanted to get back in my bed for just one more hour of sleep.
So I very carefully got up. I tip-toed over to the crib. I ever so gently lowered her (against my body) down onto the mattress. And then...
You know what happened, don't you? Oh yes, I'm sure you do.
That little girl's head popped right up and she started wailing and reaching for me. I was so frustrated, I just wanted to scream! But she was already screaming, so good would it do for me to add to that. It would only wake Londo, who had taken the brunt of the night-wakings the past 3 or 4 nights (maybe longer).
I picked her back up and we got into the twin bed in her nursery. She proceeded to fuss and fidget (goodness, the fidgeting!!!!) and even scream right in my ear for another 10 minutes, trying to get comfortable, until she finally found a good spot and passed out.
So I'm totally cranky today, even after my coffee. She was in a fine mood once we got up. She was in fact very adorable and pretty funny, but also into to everything which I'm not great at dealing with when I'm so tired and cranky. But we made it out the door, and I'll just go to bed by 9:00 again tonight.
The bright side (I'm always trying to find that darned bright side) is that we know what it is like when she's sleeping through the night. And we know she'll do it again once she's through whatever it is she's going through. We've seen the light, and we'll get back there soon. Hopefully, it will be soon enough for me to keep any shred of my sanity!
11 comments:
I want to tell you it will get better soon, but since I'm still waiting for better? I won't.
I will say that your little angel doesn't know how to sooth herself back to sleep when whatever it is that has her all riled up is going on. Good luck with that!
OMG, your post really brought it all back! That frustration when you finally can put them back down... and they wake right back up... Egads. Hang in there. Sounds like you have the right attitude toward it.
You didn't ask for advice but forgive me ... I find myself unable to control myself. It's like an addiction. Consider it a character flaw. :)
If I were you, I would invest in a sling. One that you can nurse in. When faced with a morning like this one, put her in the sling to nurse. When she falls asleep, (or even before) you can sit/lie down someplace comfortable (you do have someplace you can sleep comfortable while 'holding' her, right?) and go to sleep without worrying about dropping her.
This is how I got through the first couple of months with my Little Dude and it was teh perfect, if I do say so myself. :)
Now, I may be unable to control the random unsolicited advice that spews from my fingertips, but it bothers me not a whit if it is ignored, so there you go! Good luck with it.
Jan - Hey, I'm always open to good advice! In fact, I have invested in four slings (I couldn't help myself!), and am about to purchase a Becco carrier (once I decide on a color). The slings were fantastic when she was younger, but unfortunately my tall girl is too big for it now. I still use them with the hip hold and can't wait for the Becco to use as a backpack carrier.
I also highly recommend slings to everyone!
Cara,
So sorry but I think we're in the same boat.
I'm exhausted and look like a racoon right now.
Sleep needs to happen soon or else our bodies will just decide to take it. Probably at a bad time.
Isn't it awful when you've had that taste and any little set back seems like it's the end of the world. It feels that way for me anyway.
I used to be able to function on one 3 hour stretch amidst the broken hours of sleep but now if I have to get up once I'm just downright pissed.
Boogs been waking at 4 for meds the past several nights. Last night he didn't but guess who woke up at 4 anyway. That's right, me. :|
thanks for the shout out! I feel that raising a child is a two person job, but many of the duties fall unnecessarily on the mother sometimes. I would do anything for my two ladies. ok three ladies if you count the cat. :-)
All i have to say about your sleep issues is this "tis better to have slept through the night and regressed than to have never slept through the night at all." (apologies to Shakespeare)
and btw, i totally laughed in my head when i read the word "duties"... afterall, I am a guy
Thank you for the compliment...Goofy Daddy is great and I loved that he stayed home with Aria until she was 18mo. I'm especially thankful for it since we are in the middle of already finding a new daycare after 3 weeks! He really gave Aria and I a huge gift by staying home with her for so long. It's nice that he could appreaciate what I did for her first three months and I could really have an understanding of his daily routine for the next 15 months. :-* to you goofydaddy!
We have a Becco carrier! We love it. I got it last year and I'm so jealous of the new version that just came out! They really added some nice features.
I hope the Pumpkin figures out sleeping through the night again. I feel for you, it's no fun. When Aria was recently sick, she was waking up multiple time during the night for a couple nights straight...I started to loose my mind! I don't know how I made it though the first couple months of her life. Best sleeping wishes to you...
Thanks for the nice words. I wouldn't change being an involved dad for anything. . . I think I speak for all dads when I say if you appreciate us, give us sex.
Our baby is going though one of those. Wakes up at 3, 3:30, 4, 4:30, etc. All it takes to get him back down normally is a pacifier, but still every half hour waking up to go into the other room. . . I'm a zombie at work. Our one rule at night is don't take him out of the crib at night unless he's screaming.
Hope you make it out soon.
I remember nights like those. It makes me really, really glad that our baby is 5 and sleeps through the night. Most of the time.
I know!!!!!
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