Here's the deal. Nate quit napping. A few days before McCall, he climbed out of his pack n play. It was awful, but after a bit of chatting, he went back in and stayed in for a nap. Then he stayed in for bed time. He'd just climb out after he woke up and come find me saying "I awake mom!"
McCall changed things. He didn't want to be napping (or sleeping in general) while there was sand and water waiting for him outside. So he climbed out just as fast as I put him in the bed. Rage. Things didn't change when we got home. We went through weeks of craziness. I begged, pleaded, bribed...you name it. The boy was done with the pack n play, and wanted to be done with naps too. The problem with that is the cranky factor. That, and he would fight bed times too. Pretty soon, he was only sleeping 8 hours a day. He had been getting at least 12 or 13 before.
I set him up in a big boy bed. We made it exciting and hoped that things would turn around. They did not. If he napped at all, it was because I spent 2 hours trying. I'd lay next to him, let him watch a show, or play the ipad. Put him back in his room again and again. I had to turn the lock around on his bedroom door and lock him in because he would sneak out while I was feeding Jason and be as quiet as a mouse...as he left to forage for popsicles and "noot nacks" from the neighbors. It was tough. I could almost handle no nap Nate if he'd go to sleep at a decent hour, but even that wasn't predictable.
I'll spare you all the details, but just know that we have tried it all in the last few weeks and I think things are on the mend. He is still almost impossible to get to sleep at night, but at least he is back to napping for me. He goes to sleep after a short battle and wakes up to receive the promised "chockit" (chocolate) treat.
All this chaos coincided with Jason's 6 new teeth. He had one little bottom tooth for a little while and then he got 2 above it (all on the right side). Then the other bottom tooth came, along with the two above that tooth. I would love to blame the new cranky Jason on those teeth, but I'm not sure if that's the case. He is starting to get clingy, and cries when I leave his sight. When he is happy, Nate tackles him and makes sure the silence doesn't last long. There was a bloody nose incident last week when Nate hit him in the face with a book "I did it on purpose mom!"
I got a cold and took 1 cold pill that made my milk supply go away almost completely, so Jason is on a bottle now. He didn't have a problem transitioning and I am learning the other foods that he will eat. He is a pretty picky eater and I think some of his problem lately was that he was just hungry.
I say all these things and it makes me sound like a whiny beast. I have so many blessings in my life and I am so grateful for these cute kids. Nate makes me smile at least a thousand times a day and holding a happy Jason is balm to anyone's soul. But the reality is that I lost myself for a little while too. There is so much crying at our house. So MUCH CRYING! It's hard to go day in and day out with sad, tired babies and not feel a little crazy in the head. I go the whole day looking at the clock. I wait for nap time and find ways to keep the kids happy till then. Nap time is when I could re-charge a bit. When that wasn't happening, I couldn't ever get ahead. Then, next thing you know, Jake and Allie are home from school and there isn't time to blink before it's dinner, homework, piano, football, dance, baths, etc. Then, I'd fight Nate to sleep at night and finally see the last of him at 11, long after everyone else was asleep. It was just too much for a little while. I think things are getting better. I realize that the days are long but the years are short. I realize that these 2 won't be babies forever. I can hardly believe how fast they've grown. I know all that. But I also know that I can't cherish every single moment. I won't cherish the crying and tantrums, so I won't quit fighting for better sleep habits. I am a better mom when my babies nap for a little while and I can have peace and quiet.
I like to write. I like to write in my kids' journals. I like to write in my journal. I like to take pictures. I like to blog. When I can't do any of that (or even go pee without a crying baby sticking his fingers under the door), I feel a bit lost. So I hope things continue to go in this direction.
This has been a rambling post, but it is what it is.
I'll leave you with this picture in hope that I'll see more of it...
1 comment:
Oh, how I get this. Prayers for more sleep for everyone soon. :)
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