If I complained for long periods of time for no reason and nothing and no one could fix it there are a lot worse things people would say about me.
But in a newborn, it's "colic" or "active temperment". Call it whatever you like, it is the thing that sleepless nights and days are made of. It's the reason the hubby and I have to sleep in 4 hour shifts like firefighters or paramedics. Except we don't get paid as well. And we don't work 4 days on 3 days off. [Ha! I wish.]
Sometimes I can feel myself getting a 9th wind and the sleep thing doesn't bother me as much. By not bothering me as much I mean that I am able to stop myself from blacking out with exhaustion. I don't mean going to sleep-not even passing out. I mean literally blacking out. One minute I'm awake and the next minute I am sleeping a dreamless sleep...then I wake up and don't even realize that I was asleep. I can't even try to tell you how long I was sleeping for because to me it just felt like blinking.
I'm sure you can see how that would create an issue.
It's rough to control a 4 year old and a newborn when mommy shuts off like a light switch at random times for no appearant reason (as far as the kids are concerned). Luckily Monkey is equipped with a voice as loud as a foghorn and one of his favorite activities is waiting until you are fast asleep (or on the phone) and then asking you a thousand questions AT THE TOP OF HIS LUNGS. If I do not respond to him he falls back into the old stand by.
Mommy?
Mommy!
Mommymommymommymommymommymommymommymommymommymommymommymommymommymommymommymommy
That is the only reason I am not peacefully blacked out right now.
And, coincidentally, is how I came up with the name for this blog!
4 comments:
Bless your heart!
My firstborn had colic and life was not pretty. My second born has a calmer temperament. However, the other day they were both sick and my husband just had back surgery so it's just me doing late night duty. The morning after my whopping three hours of solid sleep I could barely function. When the baby went down for his morning nap I plopped in Fox and the Hound 2 for my pumpkindoodle and snuggled next to her on the couch. Within what seemed like seconds I woke up and the movie was over and I was actually drooling.
yep-that sounds like a mommy blackout. :)
Oh I am so with you. I cant remember the last time I slept more than 3 hours in a row. I've had these weird waking dreams where I end up talking to someone who is not there. I remember this ends and they eventually fall asleep for a night right? right? Oh no
Oh, I've stumbled down many hallways in those same slippers of zombie-mommying.
My youngest is nicknamed Sir Screamsalot for a reason.
Even my oldest, when I just had one to care for (ahhh, those were The Good Times) sent me to the brink with the zombie-mommying. I remember getting in the car when she was 3 months, driving down the road, and seeing a mouse go flying out from under the hood of the car.
A mouse!
I had to pull over and take a deep breath; I was certain that the last four months (she was 2 weeks overdue and I hardly slept the month before she was born) of interrupted and nerve-wracked sleep had finally broken my mind.
However, I was ok; it was November in Illinois when this happened. We used to store the dog food in the garage. A mouse had discovered a motherload of food in the Iams bag and decided to nest in the garage for the winter. My best guess is that he discovered the hood of the car was nice and toasty after the car was pulled into the garage and had slept there overnight.
Hang in there and ask for help when you need it. Sleep deprivation is tricky and affects all of us differently.
Happy Easter!
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