Friday, December 20, 2013

7QT: Sleep, Cookies and Messy Thoughts






WANTED: Child that sleeps through night. REWARD: Eternal gratitude.

Our little man was the BEST sleeper in his first year. Since his bout with the mysterious virus that shall not be named (because it had no name, not because it bore any resemblance to Voldemort, though we might have seen some dementors flying around), he is up every 2 hours. Maybe 3 on a good night. HEEEELLLLPPP!! Asking all you veteran moms how to get this almost 18 month old back on a sleep-through-the-night schedule. HOW?? With a toddler in the room right next door, we haven't wanted to try the cry-it-out in the wee hours of the night/morning. We have checked the teeth, the ears, the belly, the diaper. We have done bath before bed and no bath before bed. He is medicated for teething pain, given a snack and milk before bed, diaper freshly changed and not soiled. We have altered the temp in his room in case he was too cold or too hot. We have used up our muse of bedtime, the fabulous Audrey Assad.

The only thing I can muster a guess at is that he still has a little post-nasal congestion that chokes him up from time to time. Any other ideas as to why and/or more importantly...HOW DO WE MAKE IT STOP? I'm sorry, was that yelling? Mea culpa.


One of the noticeable differences post-motherhood has been how lightly I sleep. Apparently that has changed over this last week. There have been several nights now where I do not hear the baby get up crying, or the husband get out of bed. After a peak level of frustration last night, I realized I have to try my best to stay awake or I do not guarantee I will get up. So after the abrupt foray into consciousness, the night goes a little like this. Go get the baby to go back to sleep. Doze off in the process. Come back to bed and lay down, pray and close eyes whilst trying to stay awake to be sure the sleep sticks. Doze off and have bizarre, yet somehow realistic dreams. Hear baby. REPEAT. Dreams included a stint on Friends where we go to a hotel having a girls night in one wing while the gents are having a guy's night in on another wing. Deep, deep thoughts my mind has... So goes the new routine, so, um, please read #1. Grazie.


Because we have been struggling with sleep at night with the babe AND at naptime with the toddler, I was at my wits end trying to envision package delivery week at our house where all the delivery men come either before we awake or during naptime. That is the norm. So...I was inspired to be a little goofy and try out a plea for them to not knock but enjoy a little treat from our family as a thank you for delivering our shopping to us.




It was apparently a big hit.



Next year, I'm installing a camera so we can observe their reactions, which have been pretty amusing. They most certainly did all come at naptime, but every one of them read and respected the plea, and helped themselves to some cookies while looking around to see if anyone was watching. Too funny! I feel a little like Monica on Friends, except I made cookies and no one is pounding down our door.




These came in the mail from my mom as an early Christmas present with the cheesiest (albeit cute) note: "Maybe you can click your heels three times and then be home with me this Christmas."


See, she lives in Oregon and we are in Michigan. Between doctor's appointments and jacked-up ticket fares, she is not coming to be with us this Christmas. This will be the second time ever that we have not been together. Praying that she is able to sell her home quickly in the new year and be with us by Easter.


Did y'all read Dwija's post on Wednesday about "It's Not How You Think It Is?" No joke, I was just thinking about that very thing that  morning as I was putting together our handprint cards from Li'l G. The end product looks pretty cute, but boy oh boy getting there was a battle. Same with baking the cookies. Toddlers are not mess or meltdown free, and mama's nerves are a little shot so she was outta her mind making crafts and baking with the toddler. A few minutes into the baking the girl was sequestered in the other room learning valuable life lessons from Veggie Tales and Dora. I'm loving all the "real-life" blog posts and link ups popping up. It's a great reminder that life is meant to be messy and that we don't always know the backstory of even a seemingly perfect life or soul. Isn't it just life? We are awaiting our perfect end, but holy-pigsty-mess-of-a-journey along the way, Batman! All that to say her post really resonated with me at that moment, and I think you should read it too on the off chance you haven't.


Along similar lines, I was going to update everyone on our Advent progress where we've mostly kept up with our calendar prayers, but that seemed boring and deceptive. We have done a better job than last year for sure - probably hit 75% of the evenings which is probably a 70% improvement on last year. Li'l G has decided the "Noel" song is her favorite...except that it is O Come, O Come EmmaNUEL. We realized last night that as the Church recites the O Antiphons, that MAYBE we should sing those since, well, those are the verses after all. Yeah, I knew that, but surely didn't think of it until the Hubs realized it last night. Our shopping was relatively simple this year, and I feel like I am forgetting something because we are mostly ready (minus the wrapping). Maybe it is supposed to feel this empty as we approach that holy night so there is room for us to take in all the wonder and mystery and miracle of the season. I can't wait to put the star atop the tree and welcome baby Jesus in the manger (which we haven't put up yet). Even in the chaos, it seems like we are ready for the stillness.

As hard as the days (and nights) are with screaming toddlers trying to see how far their wings can stretch before mama clips them and babies who just want snuggles all.the.sleepless.night, there is a certain sweetness about these days when we finally collapse into bed at the end of the night for our 20 minute nap before one of the minions decides they have had enough of this thing that mommy and daddy like to call sleep. Cuddling by the light of the Christmas tree quietly...finally quietly...I know there will come a day when I look back with fondness on this house that seems too little filled with too much chaos. It may not be today...nay, it really isn't today...but one day the sweetness will be all that remains in the memory, perhaps because my senses will have been dulled by the whining and nagging, or maybe because the memory will have been purified into its most perfect form. One day...



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3 comments:

  1. Have you tried a humidifer in the little guys room, or a noise /sound machine...

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  2. So...it's hard to hear with lil' G's room so close BUT...we have found the 'CIO' (which we love) only works if we re-enforce it every six months (i.e. 18 months). AND it totally sucks, so we always choose a weekend when we will both be home (no work) and can tag team it because for the weekend we get VERY little sleep. BUT, after 3 days it's back to good. We love sleep 'round these parts.
    love the cookies.
    the slippers made me sad. with most of my family away for Christmas, gosh it hurts!
    And these quick takes were awesome. you are a good mom.

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  3. Haha, I love Monica the candy lady. And those slippers are too cute! Have a great Christmas, Rakhi! (and hopefully some sleep!) :)

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