Saturday, October 18, 2008

Weekend Edition


Suspicious Minds


John is off on his first airline trip since before Andrew was born. So, it is just me and the kids for three days. So far, it is going okay. We've been staying busy playing at everyone else's house but our own!

The newness of having a baby sleeping on top of me is starting to wear a bit thin. Not that I don't love that sensation of having a baby curled up on my chest. But, at 3:30 a.m. after he's already been up every 2 hours all night, I start cursing a bit and wishing he would just freaking SLEEP BY HIMSELF for a damn hour for the love of GOD. My hands are all craggy and sore and arthritic from holding him all night. My legs are fidgety and my neck is completely broken from sleeping with it propped against the headboard at an odd angle. And yet....he is unable to sleep by himself unless he's on his stomach, which I'm uncomfortable doing when I'm sleeping. So, there's that. And lots of coffee.

Becca has mostly been ambivalent about the new addition to our household. All the kids in the neighborhood are much more interested in him than Becca is for the most part. So, when two snot-nosed children, with wet phlegmy coughs are putting their faces right up in his, I start to hyperventilate. Of course, my snot-nosed kid is allowed to get as close as she wants. And, since she goes to preschool with Wet Phlemgy, I might as well just relax and let the neighborhood kids breathe their snot particles all over him. Because I don't think he's going to be all that sheltered.

Anyway, lately Becca has become slightly more interested. Whenever I lay Andrew down somewhere, she wants to lay down right next to him and cover them both up with blankets.

12 comments:

Marie Green said...

My 3rd baby slept with me too- and a few weeks into it I realized that the reason my arms were aching is because I was holding her so close so she didn't roll off the bed. That's we we put up the bed railing (24.99 at Target) and it CHANGED my life. I had about 3 more feet of bed to sleep on when I knew she couldn't fall off.

That's what helped me. Not sure if it will help you or not...

The kids are mighty adorable!

Unknown said...

The co-sleeper saved my life. You sure you don't want to see if you can find a second-hand one somewhere (kids thrift store?). The rail idea is great too. I had a love/hate relationship w/this age. Mostly love - but, I hated not getting sleep. Fortunately, my newborns didn't go through that stage for too long and after a bit (I don't remember if it was two weeks or two months, to be honest) would go three-four hours straight.

I love the pictures. Great sequence too.

Erin said...

Oh my goodness. Those picture of the two of them together are priceless.

Calum refused to acknowledge Emmett for a good month or two. He wouldn't say his name for at least 3 months. I'd forgotten all about that already.

Swistle said...

I'm not going to say WHO exactly, but SOMEONE I know let a certain fifth baby sleep on his tummy. Whoever this person was, she worried and worried and worried about it, but on the other hand the baby slept. This person, whoever she was, said to the pediatrician VERY TENTATIVELY that she was doing this, and the pediatrician said that although officially the stance was opposed to doing that, that it was almost certainly okay as long as we had a nice firm mattress, no bumper, and no puffy blankets or pillows or stuffed animals in the crib. But this person knows what you mean, and could just as easily have gone the other way on the issue.

Tracy said...

Swistle, how did you know I put my children on their bellies? I thought my husband was the only one who knew!!!;)

I love the last picture where she is "gently" turning his head the way she wants it. LOVE IT!

Tracy said...

Oh wait swistle, you said fifth baby. I only had two. Dammit, now I just outed myself!

Anonymous said...

I know a boychild who was attached to his mother for 18 months. If not nursing, then being held or sleeping snuggled in next to her. She also let this child sleep on his stomach occasionally. Just so you know, everything turned out OK! He's a bright guy with self-confidence and not overly attached to his mother since preschool.

Anonymous said...

Here we go again - orange shirt on a pink background.

Andrea and Ben said...

I love the picture where it looks like they are having a conversation. Adorable!!

I have yet to let Reid sleep on his tummy at night, but he sleeps every nap that way. If he were worse at sleeping during the night I would do it in a heartbeat.

Anonymous said...

Just put him in his crib and put ear plugs in & let him scream.or you let him sleep with you till hes starts skool.

Katie said...

Jim (sgtsharp),
Surely those aren't the ONLY two options. Right? RIIIIIIGHT?

Anonymous said...

There's your answer! Have Becca sleep with Andrew. Or perhaps not...

Once Andrew is strong enough to turn himself over, you won't have to worry about sleeping on his tummy, will you? Only two or three months until that happens. Maybe when he can choose his own position, he'll sleep better. All this bonding will stand you in good stead later, though. (Since I didn't have the chance to put my son to sleep for the first 18 months of his life, I can't offer any useful advice.)

Take care of yourself -- and don't worry about the floor until you see ants.

Love,
(Great)Aunt Linda