Break through? Not so fast!

Guess what happened last night?  Brynlee slept soundly for the first time in probably a month from 7:00 pm until 4:00 am when she woke up to eat. 

A look at her typical night lately: 7:00 pm bedtime, 10:00 pm: pacifier call, 10:00 pm-12:00 am: restlessness and more pacifier calls, 12:00 am: FEEEEEED MEEEE!, 12:00 am-4:00 am: most of the time there's good sleep here, 4:00 am-7:00 am: restlessness and pacifier calls, 7:00 am: GIVE ME BREAKFAST!!!!!  Cade is out of bed and blowing through the house like a bullet at 6:00 am and I would love to be awake before then considering I need a little bit more dark and quiet time to wake up, so I'm usually "up" for the day whenever Brynlee stirs between 4:00 and 7:00.

Last night I couldn't keep my eyes open starting at about 8:00 pm but I couldn't actually get to sleep.  I tried winding down during a few rounds of Angry Birds.  A "few" rounds turned into probably 629 rounds as well as stupid Facebook and email exploration, and before I knew it the clock read 9:54.

"Wonderful," I thought, "I've officially wasted all precious sleepy time that I could have had because Miss Princess will be demanding servants to soothe her anytime now."  But I soon drifted off to sleep...until 4:00 am!

The clouds parted and the angels sang.  I got six consecutive, beautiful hours of sleep.

And that, apparently, was my limit.  Because, by the way, I woke up before she did.  My body said, "Alright enough of this sweet crap.  You've rested long enough."  That's what I heard.  Cory, who was up already getting ready for work, heard, "Ughh ahmanna umph."  And then he told me I looked like Death.

I fed her, came back to bed, intended to go back to sleep, tried to go back to sleep, but there was no such luck.  Seriously, had I just given in at 8:00 I could have gotten eight hours.  EIGHT!  I've imagined how I will feel after the first time I get eight hours of sleep.  I've pictured myself smiling, wearing jeans and makeup and toddling around the house like Martha Stewart.  If I found a magic lamp today my three wishes would definitely be: no more debt, brownies and eight hours of sleep. 

Yep. 

I at least made the time that I was awake before the kids and every other smart individual in our time zone, that didn't have to go to work of course, productive by starting laundry, doing dishes and blogging. 

I may have played a few rounds of Angry Birds in there too.

Mommy Brain, Or Just Plain Stupid?

I've done some pretty stupid things in my life, the majority being just "blonde moments."  But I also was a decently smart cookie in my school years.  Lately, I seem to be having more of those infamous blonde moments, and I'm choosing to blame my kids.  I really do surprise myself sometimes with my level of stupidness and what better way to celebrate it than to share with all of you! 

While coming up on a red light, that only turns red if someone pushes the button at the cross-walk, I see cars stopped and a black dog walking across the road.  My thought, "What in the world?!?  The dog pushed the button and, to top it off, is actually walking in the cross-walk?!?"  No, dummy.  The dog is on a very long leash and the owner is about 12 feet behind it.

I'm always filling glasses of water when I have another one sitting half full in the living room.

I returned the Bill Nye The Science Guy: Outer Space DVD to the library before dropping Cade off at school.  When I get home, I start dusting around the TV where I find the Bill Nye The Science Guy: Outer Space DVD.  I returned the case.

During my morning routine one day, I got my cup of coffee and took my vitamin.  After helping Cade get his breakfast, putting away a few dishes, washing a couple bottles and briefly reading the headlines in the paper, I started eating a banana and then.....I took my vitamin.  Just 15 or so minutes after taking it the first time.  I felt really healthy that day.

Brynlee still wakes up once a night (around 2:00 or so) to eat.  During the time that she was sick, she woke up quite a bit more than just once.  I still tried to only feed her once though around her regular time.  Except for the night that exhaustion got the best of me and I fell asleep shortly after 9:00.  Brynlee woke up and I stumbled out of bed, eyes still closed, grabbed the bottle and went in to feed her.  I never really opened my eyes until I came back into my room to see that it was 9:24.  Loser!

Lunchtime can get crazy around here.  I have four people to feed and some days that equals four different meals.  One crazy day in particular, I got a bottle warming for Brynlee.  A few minutes later I take it out and put it off to the side.  Meanwhile, I'm doing a few dishes, throwing a few pieces of food to the 1-year-old I watch, fixing plates for Cade and I and trying to soothe Brynlee's whines for her food.  As I'm putting things back in the fridge and getting other things out, I grab a bottle for Brynlee to warm up.  This would have been a huge failure but luckily I noticed the already warmed bottle as I was starting to warm to new one.

So, that's my life.  You may laugh (at least I hope you did a little, otherwise what was the point of this post?) but while you get pleasure out of my stupidity, remember that this my brain people.  I have no control and it's starting to worry me!

I'm glad I saw this now because it very well could have been the next thing to add to my list!

Oh illness, why must you exist?!?

We’re back to co-sleeping, at least for the time being.  Actually, we didn’t ever really establish regular co-sleeping habits with Brynlee due to my middle of the night pumping distraction and her big brother’s early rising routine, so it was better for her to be in her own dark, quiet bedroom.  I love co-sleeping though.  I did with Cade for several months and I enjoy doing it with Brynlee whenever it works out.

The reason we’re co-sleeping now?  You can blame RSV.  I’m assuming that’s what she has anyway.  Cade had it when he was 6 months and she’s showing the same symptoms.  Plus the little girl that I watch just had it (side note: Bridget, don’t you dare feel guilty! J)  I do feel somewhat to blame though, as if I’m not breastfeeding her “right” because, why else would an exclusively breastfed baby, who never leaves her mommy’s hip, get RSV?  I know my thoughts are irrational.  Babies get sick, it’s inevitable.  But still, I hate that I can’t do anything to get rid of it, so to cope we’re co-sleeping.  It’s easier for me to comfort her when she wakes up SCREAMING without any warning and when she needs propped up to help keep that God-awful snot out of her nose.  I can also monitor her breathing when she’s in bed with me and when she gets wheezy, I can take action. 

I’ve learned a couple things during this pandemic and thought I would share.  Turns out, the first child doesn’t always teach you everything you need to know.  Here’s what I’ve learned:

-My husband doesn’t wake up to the shower running (for our steam breathing treatment), even at 2:00 in the morning.  I guess that’s not something he considers unusual.  Thanks for the concern, dear!

-The toilet is not good for trying to rock a baby to sleep…

-…especially a baby that’s excited about the sound of the running water, thinking she’s going to be taking a bath.

-Laying the baby beside you on your own pillow is a great, easy way to prop them up so they can sleep easier.  This however, is something I already knew.  What I learned is that a 7 month old has a wonderful sense of humor and bonking their head against yours while you both lay peacefully on the pillow is hilarious.

-Sleeping in a recliner isn’t really that bad when you consider the alternative – not sleeping.

-Sitting in a (hot!) steamy bathroom for 10 minutes, while trying to keep a baby happy with the usual “I’m gonna get you!” games gives a person a splitting headache that lasts for hours.



No, my camera isn't this crappy.  This is during one of our steam treatments -
right before I got a headache that lasted the rest of the day.



But seriously, if there’s anything to enjoy while your child is sick, it's definitely that you have an excuse to cuddle more, give extra kisses, rock them longer and even co-sleep.  I know that’s what I’m enjoying anyway.

The Result of Sleep Deprivation + Cold Medication

Today while pumping, I spotted a little black ball of sock fuzz on my bedroom floor.  I sat with my eyes heavy and my chin resting in my palm, just staring at the fuzz.  Then it started to move.  Things started to blur, and the fuzz gained thin little legs and antennae.  Despite intense blinking, rubbing and raising of eyebrows, things blurred more and the fuzz started changing size and shape.  "It's a sock fuzz, dummy!"  I kept telling myself, yet my brain insisted it was some bug creature that only existed in my imagination because it had legs like an insect and moved like a worm.  Unfortunately, I see myself catching up on 0 hours of sleep in the near future.  At least I might get some mediocre entertainment out of it.