Sleeping

It was expected that N would have sleep issues. She slept through the night the first night I had her...before she realized, I suppose, that Everything Had Changed. All in all, she has taken it all in stride...except for sleeping. She's jet-lagged. She's cutting molars. She's in a strange house with these people that she likes, but it isn't like it used to be. She wakes at least a little every hour or so at night. Sometimes she goes right back to sleep on her own...sometimes rubbing her back gets her back to sleep. Other times she is really awake and needs a bottle and/or a little quiet play time to go back down. It isn't unusual for her to be fully awake between 1:30 and 4 am. The first few nights I slept (more like dozed for an hour at a time) on an air mattress in her room. Now I start out on the sofa near her room and usually move in there by 1-3 am. MOm and Dad were here to help with her the first few days, but I handled night duty and made sure to be there when she awoke from naps except for one time when I was picking my brother up at the airport. I haven't slept more than 3 hours at a time since the second day I got her until last night, when C decided it was time for me to sleep and that he would handle it...and handle it he did, like the good daddy he is. I've been sick since she gave me her cold on the court visit and started losing my voice yesterday. It's raspy and crackling now. But I slept for five hours straight last night...a miracle. And then I slept some more. And while N was napping this morning, C and I both crashed in the living room.

I've been sick for what...three weeks now? I barely remember feeling well and energetic. My kitchen is a mess...I need to figure out where to store all her stuff...a bit of a kitchen reorg is in order and I am just really tired nowadays. I hope I can kick this cold to the curb soon. N is getting over hers...she has a horrible cough that wakes her at night. The doctor prescribed an antibiotic told me to give her a little children's Mucinex, but that doesn't stop the cough...it's just supposed to make it more productive.

She wouldn't go down for her afternoon nap, so we are aiming to keep her awake until 8pm. I expect that at that point, Miss Crankypants will have emerged in full force and she may fight sleep with a vengence (she's a little sleep ninja), but maybe she will sleep well, at least. Maybe. We can dream. We'd like to at least not be up every hour.

Mom and Dad were a great help...Mom did laundry. Dad put together her high chair and exersaucer and they both loved all over her. She really likes both of them and they think she is wonderful.

I think this would be easier if she wasn't so darn active during the day and resistant to her naps. It has been nice today having C around...this is his time to bond with her and he's taken much of the load of caring for her. She plays independently at times, but she is very into being held..and not when sitting still. Must. Move. If I hit the right timing with her, she will sleep pretty easily, with rocking and lovey bunny and maybe a bottle. But past that, she gets over-tired and then good luck. This morning I finally laid down on the floor in front her crib without the mattress and went to sleep while she played around and on me...I awoke 30 minutes later with her asleep next to me.

C just took her out with him to get the mail...he is determined to teach her to say "Daddy". It's sweet...and pretty funny.