Post by melodramatic26 on Feb 6, 2013 15:56:59 GMT -5
oh Puddle, I'm so sorry. I'm alone this week too, so I totally feel for you. I went to bed at 8:15pm last night, only to have to get up at 9:30pm with a puking toddler. The night didn't get much better from there.
Can we talk about this 4 month wakeful thing? I don't remember it from Adele. It SUCKS. It ends, soon, right? Please tell me it ends. What is it like for you?
Mine won't stay asleep for more than an hour without needing her pacifier which was NEVER an issue before. And if she doesn't want that, she doesn't want to eat, diaper is dry, she just wants me to walk around with her in my arms...for hours apparently. WTF. I've been up since 4:30am because she was up after eating and wouldn't go back to sleep...until 5:30am when I normally get up of course.
ugh, i'm sorry. i'll bet there's a friend out there who can come help you. my friend's husband is a consultant and gone sunday night-friday morning, weekly. anyway, she has one of the girls' teachers come over one night a week (i think it's tuesday) to help out just as a midweek break.
For real, have you guys looked at bringing in some p/t help in the evenings if your H is going to be at work? A grandparent that can tag team with you or a sitter?
We have just come out of the wakeful. I can honestly say it was the worst thing that has ever happened to me. I was a miserable fucking human being. I took eddy's advice and put M on her tummy - she's been sttn almost two weeks now. I don't even know what to do with myself; I haven't had more than 2-3 consecutive hours of sleep in so long. It's glorious!
Post by melodramatic26 on Feb 6, 2013 16:15:31 GMT -5
and I decided in my sleep deprived haze last night that one night next week I'm sleeping in the basement and dh gets the night duty all to himself. Without me able to hear anything. No monitor. No assistance. No nap the next day.
Also I will just put this out there...I also had Leo start crying in his crib to help him settle down on his own. I stopped rushing in so quick to fix it for him. That helped a ton too. So for bedtime I would rock him, nursing him then put him down. He would crank and I let him do it. If he got to screaming I went in to repeat the process. Otherwise I let him work it out on his own.
These damn babies becoming aware of their surroundings. :-)
I hear ya. My H travels all of the time for work. He was to come home this Friday and be home for a few weeks. Well, he told me right before he left that he volunteered to work OOT again Saturday for a few days. He didn't even to think to see how I might feel about this. He is salary, so it's not like he is getting OT. I am ticked b/c a) 10 days is a long time to be taking care of a 1 and 3 year old yourself b) I have a girl's night planned for this Saturday and was really relying on him to watch the kids. He forgot and now we have to have a sitter and that is just a PITA. I haven't had a girls night in over 2 years. He volunteered because he felt bad for a co-worker who has been working a lot. While I think that is very thoughtful on my H's part, why didn't he think about his own family? I am starting to think he has a twinky in the city . Thanks for letting me vent.
Post by daisyheadmaizie on Feb 6, 2013 16:25:04 GMT -5
Hang in there, Puddle. My DH has been gone for 4 of the last 9 weeks. I feel your pain. The good news is I survived, and so can you. This last time was smack in the middle of the 4 month wakeful and the start of teething hell. I told him the fact that I survived should earn me sainthood. Lol
Pizza night? Chuck E Cheese? Panera? Somewhere where you basically are done by the time you get home and it's bed time?
I hate when H works late, and it's no where near as often as yours seems to be doing it.
I'm sorry. If we lived closer I'd bring over wine.
in all honesty, I did this last night. Took them to McAllister's Deli for kids night. The toddler got to color and ate for free. The baby napped and I ate in realative peace. I put the toddler to bed without a bath and bathed the baby and then put the baby down.
Pizza is a great idea. And use paper plates. No clean up. Skip the bath. It's winter and the soap can strip their skin from moisture anyway. That's what I tell myself on "skip the bath" nights.
Post by daisyheadmaizie on Feb 6, 2013 16:32:55 GMT -5
Oh, and can you stop and grab a new coloring book and crayons or stickers or something for N to do tonight while you are taking care of E or getting dinner ready?
I keep a basket of stuff I find on clearance or in the dollar spot that I think DD will like, and then I break something new out when I am desperately needing a break. It almost always works. I tend to do art stuff, because it is cheap and doesn't add to the toy clutter.
Pizza is a great idea. And use paper plates. No clean up. Skip the bath. It's winter and the soap can strip their skin from moisture anyway. That's what I tell myself on "skip the bath" nights.
Oh, I do the same thing. My DS1 loves baths, too. I tell him how too many in the winter will make his skin itchy. It works, but I feel bad. He does get eczema...
Post by sleepysloth on Feb 6, 2013 16:38:53 GMT -5
I'm with you, especially with the 4 month wakeful period. I had an awesome sleeping baby and I'd like him back! I hope your husband gives you the break you deserve this weekend!
H has been working really late most nights the past couple of weeks, so I feel you. Although I think I have it a little easier since I don't have an infant anymore. Anyway - do whatever you have to do to make the night a little easier. If that means fast food or frozen pizza or pb&j for dinner and only one (or none!) kid gets a bath, then do it. My kids got McD's on Monday night b/c I couldn't bear the thought of tackling the mess in the kitchen that H had left the day before and then cooking up dinner. You, and they, will survive. Hugs