Okay, just give me a few minutes. I know things aren't as bad as they feel. I know it will get better. Everything's going to be okay, but I just want a couple of minutes to complain. Here goes:
I am tired! Two nights ago Marcus was up from 1:00 until 4:30. He wanted to go back to sleep, but for some crazy reason he couldn't. I tried nursing him, rocking him, walking him, laying him down in his crib, laying him down in bed with me...you name it. Yesterday Brian's mom offered to take the kids so I could take a nap, and I turned her down because at that point I was doing okay. Because of that night, last night was crazy. He was ready to go to sleep by five thirty when I was trying to clean up after dinner. Dinner didn't get cleaned up, and I was going to start getting him ready for bed, but because of craziness from some phone calls, a fed ex truck delivering our replacement cell phone next door, me not being able to find my old cell phone, and other things, he didn't get to bed until around 7:30 or 8:00. He was awake twenty minutes later. Ethan also didn't want to go to bed, and he was up and down and up and down.
So I watched an episode of "Pushing Daisies" (I'm really liking that) while rocking Marcus back to sleep. Ethan interrupted a couple of times, and one of those times he wanted a drink of water, even though he had had nearly ten (not an exaggeration) glasses of water just before bed, and he tried to drink his water laying down, which made it spill all around his neck, then I dried him off, flipped his pillow, and he fell asleep in about twenty seconds while crying. Once Marcus was asleep I paused "Pushing Daisies" and went to bed myself. And Marcus was up a lot last night. Nearly every hour. He went back to sleep okay each time, but still. This morning he woke up at 4:30, and I pulled him into bed with me. He fell asleep after a while, then woke up five minutes later, then Ethan woke up, then they both fell asleep, then Alyssa woke up from a bad dream, then she didn't go to sleep, but was at least quiet, then the cat licked my pillow, then all three kids woke up again. Not because of the cat licking my pillow...they just woke up.
When Brian was home last weekend he put Marcus to bed for me, and he did it in record time. The only reason Marcus is waking up all night is to nurse. His usual nights have him waking at 10:00, 12:00, 2:00, 4:00, and 6;00. He's just on a schedule to wake up and nurse. It stinks. He has no interest in nursing during the day. I've tried to nurse him more during the day so he won't want to nurse at night, but he's just not interested. When Brian comes home for Christmas he's going to be on Marcus duty each night, and hopefully that will fix things. If Marcus is still wanting to nurse all night at that point, it just may be time to wean him altogether, because I can't do this for much longer.
And speaking of Brian being home, I want my husband back! Seriously. I'm going to say that again with more exclamation marks. I really, really want my husband back!!! Wow. I wasn't expecting the really's to sneak in there. It stinks not having Brian here. If he was here then I could have had him take Marcus while I cleaned up after dinner. He could have helped me get the kids ready for bed. I'm trying to keep things clean, but our house gets to be such a disaster so quickly, because it's just me against the three kids, and they can make messes a lot faster than I can clean them. My mom and Brian's mom and my friend and visiting teacher have been helping me by taking the kids so I can go shopping, having us over for dinner, etc. I'm so thankful for that help, and I know I couldn't get through this time without it, but it's not the same as having Brian here. It's just not the same.
So today I think we're just going to recover from life. I'm going to finish the dishes, have the kids help me straighten the living room, then we're going to just bum around the house.
June 2021 (random, Utah)
2 years ago
4 comments:
Doesn't it figure that the post right after Practically Perfect in Everyway is Pity Party?
Sorry for the hard nights. If you get tired of your house, you can come and hang out here.
Maybe they'll cancel school. You know, it's just too much snow and SO slippery. (Like a couple inches, no ice, and I have only slipped once at a cross street and that was on purpose to test it.)
I hope he starts sleeping better for you.
I'm so sorry Carrie. It totally stinks that Brian isn't around to help out during the week (and often on weekends, too, I know).
On the bright side, this rotation is about 1/2 way over! Does Brian move back home (I know he has never really lived there yet) after this rotation? I hope so! I know I couldn't make it without Nate for long. You're doing a wonderful job.
I can't even imagine how tough it is for you Carrie. I only have one child and I don't think I could do it. You are amazing and this is a tough time but you will make it and it will be worth it. Does Brian have a Christmas break coming up? I hope it gets easier. I know the Lord will bless you for your efforts.
So I have been thinking about this post for several days now. A baby Marcus' age can sleep through the night without needing food. Easier said then done, I know. My girls were bad sleepers from birth, waking up every couple of hours for feedings, and while some lucky babies can learn to sleep on their own at night, with no help from the parents, mine were not like that. Claire was 8 months old and was still waking in the night for two feedings. I finally let her cry it out- and since she was older at the time, it was hard. she cried for about an hour and a half for a couple nights in a row and then she was a sound sleeper from then on. With Morgan I had hoped she would learn it on her own, but she also refused! We let her cry it out when she was about four months old. Life was better for both of us after that! It was hard to hear her cry, but a baby needs to learn to put herself to sleep without food or momma or else you will be up everytime a baby wakes itself (which for most babies are a couple times a night). I know you are opposed to the cry it out method, but it doesn't seem like your other method is working for Marcus. I am just suggesting to try something else- because both marcus and momma need better rest at night!
I don't mean this comment to tell you what to do or to criticize. I think you should do whatever you feel good about and what works for you as a momma. I just wanted to offer up something else to consider, to help.
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