Skip to main content

Royaly Flushed

I'm trapped in the bathroom.

Trapped because if I open the door and go out, then Kit will start wailing all over again. I now have to wait until I get the all clear from Victor. That means she's asleep and I am permitted to move about my own home freely.

It's 1:30 am and I'm stuck in our freezing bathroom with no heat because the only way for my baby to fall asleep with someone else is for me to be completely out of sight and hearing range.

Interference


I've been trying to put Kit to sleep for over an hour now. She's completely exhausted, her eyes red rimed and heavy. But something is keeping her awake. She has some kind of unfulfilled need that we haven't met that is not allowing her brain to shut down and let sleep take over.

She kept nursing then popping up like her body had a spring in it. When I'd try to talk to her calmly or help her lay down she would throw her head and body back. Right into the back of the couch which is squared off since the pillow is moved so we can sleep there. Then she would cry, poor baby, because her head hurts. After the hurt passed she just couldn't stop moving, whining, screeching, fussing, getting mad, pinching.

We are all sooooo tired! Daddy finally came and took her to sit with her on the recliner. She'll go to sleep for him there, but only with me out of the room. So I retreat to the bathroom to brush my teeth and take my contacts out. But she is really wound up tonight, the angry, and sometimes very loud wailing continues for an extra inning tonight.

Meanwhile...in the bathroom, freezing!

 
I feel helpless when she gets like that. I don't feel like I'm equipped with enough knowledge to know how to best help her. Did she get over stimulated? Under? Should I have spun her before trying to nurse? Did she not get enough heavy work or deep pressure to satisfy her hungry little brain? Should I have fought through my tiredness and given her a bath with a good firm sponge rub down?

Sleep salvation sponge?
 
 
I don't know yet what all her signs and signals are. If she's sending them, I have no dependable way to know if I'm deciphering them correctly. And sometimes, I'm just tired, and I just want my baby to go to sleep instead of climbing and pulling out books and blankets and toys and trying to reprogram our phones. But I don't always clearly see. Like that tonight, a bath was clearly needed. I didn't see it until she was already in meltdown.

All's quiet in the other room now. In a minute I'll ask if it's okay for me to come out. Vic may not answer though because he probably already fell asleep too. So now it's just me, wide awake now, to contemplate and commiserate.    


 
Sweet dreams everyone.
Labels:

Comments

  1. AnonymousJanuary 15, 2013 at 7:56 PM

    Creative titles to the stories. I enjoyed this post.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Le Petite Chef: Mud Pie

Here it is, as promised, Grace's Mud Pie recipe! She did all the work, I helped explain terms and measurements, stirred at the very end to make sure everything was evenly coated (at her request), and helped hold the pot. She let one of her friends spread the Nutella and add the "dirt" to one of the pies while she did the other.  This is a very kid friendly recipe, I highly recommend it for ages 8 and up! The original recipe is in the book The Cooking Book, by Jane Bull. But we modified it just a bit. Here are our supplies: 3/4 c butter 1 tbsp cocoa powder 1/2 c sugar 1 c graham cracker crumbs 1/2 c dried fruit 1 chocolate bar (we used Nutella spread instead) We added: Heath chocolate and toffee bits Black Sixletts (found in the party aisle) These are the original measurements, we doubled the recipe though. Step 1: Crush graham crackers. We used a gallon size zipper bag and a coffee mug (I don't own
18 comments
Read more

Saying Goodbye

For the entire month of August, I just didn't let myself think about it beyond the facts. For the last two weeks, I just focused on anything else that took my mind off of it. Over the weekend I was busy getting things ready, so I was too busy to think about it. Tuesday came. Miss V came. It was a good visit, with laughing and smiling, and questions asked and answered, and Kit played with her, and smiled and made us laugh like usual. But it was different, and we felt it. I didn't let myself go there, because I didn't want to break down, not that it would have been the first time in front of her (nor the second, or third, or even fourth probably.)  And then it was time for her to go, and we took some pictures, and all the kids hugged her, and I held Kit on my shoulder on the steps so she could wave goodbye until Miss V is out of sight like she has every week for at least five months. And then we closed the door, and Kit went on with business as usual, beca
28 comments
Read more

Preschool at Home! Chalkboard Painting

Here is another treasure from the backfiles. This started as an act of desperation on my part, I just needed her to be occupied so I could finish something, but it quickly became one of her favorite activities. If you have a chalkboard (we made ours on a half wall with chalkboard paint), all you need is a paintbrush, sponge, or washcloth, and a cup of water. Dip the brush in the water and have at it! Kit LOVES how the water turns the board black. So often, she will be at this so long that by the time she gets across the board, the first area she painted will be dry and a fresh pallet once again. You can get creative with the things you use as paintbrushes, but she has been completely happy with our basic art brushes from Walmart. I love watching her do this.
27 comments
Read more