Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Sleepless Part II

My sleepless saga is ongoing.  I have received a lot of helpful hints from all kinds of people.  One thing that most people had in common was that they would not let their  child cry either.  Other people warned me against picking up my daughter saying that was not a good idea. 

About a week ago I decided to lay on the floor next to the crib.  I could reach my hand through the rails to soothe my daughter while she was laying down.  She didn't like the idea of me sticking my hand through the rails.  She pushed my hand out of the crib.  So, I just laid there on the floor.

After a little time passed she would fall back asleep.  We do this a couple times a night.  The highlight of it all is that she is no longer screaming at night.  She doesn't even cry now.  I lay on the floor and she lays in her bed, rolls around for a little while, then falls asleep.

I know, I was told that this too is a bad idea because I will have to break her from getting used to having me there at night. I was told that I need to go in her room when she cries, rub her head and leave.  Then when she cries wait 10 minutes, go back into her room and repeat.

The more that I think about this last piece of advice, the more frustrated I become.  I am sure that if I asked my father if I was held when I was a baby, I am sure that he would say yes.  I am pretty sure that I outgrew being rocked and as an adult still fell loved.  So, I accept the advice from all of the others: let my baby know that she is loved.  If she needs me to hold her, I will.  If she needs to be rocked, I will.  And if she needs my to be near, I will.

I know there will come a day when she has grown and I will reflect on these days.  I would hate to look back and wish that I had held her more!!

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Sleepless in Michigan

I am not certain how many days have passed by, but I am positive that I miss sleeping through the night.  It started about a week and a half ago when my daughter broke out in an allergy rash.  I can understand her waking up crying.  She did not feel good. 

Now, her rash is almost gone.  But, three nights ago she started waking up a couple times a night SCREAMING at the top of her little lungs.  It is not the kind of cry that I can let her "cry it out".  She screams so loud that she starts to hyperventilate.

I go into her room and try to soothe her.   Laying her back down, giving her a pacifier, stroking her head and telling her to go back to sleep is not cutting it.  I end up changing her diaper (which is soaked and has no room for another drop) and then rocking her until she calms down and falls asleep.

Everything that I have read says that this is normal for this age.  It could be night terrors or separation anxiety.  I lean towards the latter.  Considering that she is still clinging onto me with a firm grasp even when I put her back down to sleep.

I know everyone says, "whatever you do, DO NOT pick them up".  I have a hard time not picking her up when she is screaming.  I know the difference in her cries and there is something clearly wrong for her to scream.  I am open to any other feedback or ideas that anyone might have for a screaming 13 month old!!

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Idiot drivers

Why is it that it only takes one little thing to set your day off and not in a good way?  My morning started out good.  Sunshine and 80 degrees with a slight breeze, awesome. 

My daughter ate lunch without a fight today.  That is always a good thing.  Then we headed out to Sam's, Babies R' Us and to get the car wash.  All went well until the drive home.

Why is it that the person that pulls right out in front of you and slams on their brakes (because you are now to close to them) and then flips you off when you go around them?  That has always confused me.  I have often thought that maybe I am the only person that this ever happens to.  I don't know why it angers me so, but IT does.  It especially bugs me when I have my child in the back seat. 

So, now I am home and my blood pressure has returned to normal (it took a little chocolate to help stabilize it).  I guess it is true what they always say.  It is not the big things in life that are the most troubling, it is the little things!

Monday, April 12, 2010

Rash

I have managed to make it 13 months without having to learn about a food allergy.  I spent the morning trying to figure out what was going on with my little ones face.  Last Friday we started out with diaper rash and a few speckles on her chin, lip and by her eye.  Saturday and Sunday came along with more and more speckles.

This morning we woke up with more speckles, I decided a trip to the doctor was in order.  I originally thought it was teething.  My daughter always breaks out in diaper rash with teething.  I thought the spots around her mouth were also due to teething.

Then the paranoia set in.  What if it is impetigo or eczema (it is hereditary).  What if she touched her diaper rash and somehow spread it to her face. I know ridiculous.  Sometimes I feel like I am a hypochondriac.

I was relieved to find out it was a food allergy (after all the worrying).  We have surmised that it is the juice that I gave her.  And all it took was an unhappy baby and 3 sleepless nights!!

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Ipad thoughts

I have been listening to all of the hype surrounding the Ipad.  It really does sound like a cool new gadget.  I have an Iphone and sometimes I think that a bigger version of it would be pretty neat.  So my husband and I went to Best Buy to look at them.

I was asking my husband who would want to spend money (I rely on almost all free ones for my phone) on all of the app's for the Ipad?  He explained to me that one has to pay for the software that they get on their computer.  After all, it isn't free.  I guess he got me there.

I do like the idea of watching a movie or reading a book using the Ipad.  It would be good to let me little one watch movies; at least until she drops it and breaks it.  The size of it is perfect for both of these activities. The ease of flipping the pages and looking at the screen for a movie are attractive features.

One thing that I don't like is that there is no way to prop it up.  It would be neat to look up a recipe (and not have to print it) and prop up the Ipad in the kitchen to use as a cookbook.

All and all it is a cool gadget.  The major downfall is the price.  I think that if I were going to spend that kind of money, I may as well buy a computer!

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Spirit Airlines

I am sure that I am not the only person that is disappointed with Spirit airlines new charge for carry on bags.  I saw the segment on the Nightly News and then read the article about Spirit airlines new policy.  I think that it is ridiculous to charge up to $45 for a carry on bag.  I guess that the only saving grace is that if you can fit it under the seat, then it is free.

But, what about Bulk head seats or emergency row seats.  There is no seat in front of you to stow luggage.  I guess you really have to pay a premium if you car about the safety of the plane (emergency row) or your comfort (bulk head).

What really infuriated me was when the CEO was asked about people flying with children.  He was asked, "What about people flying with children?"  These people have car seats, strollers, extra bags (filled with diapers, wipes, toys, etc.) and coolers (formula and food).  The CEO's response was: "carry less, pay less."  How unbelievable.  I guess what he is saying is that he does not want people with children to choose his airline.  Unless, of course you would like to hand over a fortune to the airline.

Spirit used to be a inexpensive way to fly.  By the time a person is done paying all of the fees for Spirit, they may as well pay full price and fly on a real airline like United or Northwest.

I think as a society, we owe it to ourselves to boycott Spirit.  All the other airlines are watching this.  If consumers find this practice acceptable, then there is nothing stopping the other airlines from following suit.  Where will the fees end?

Enough is Enough.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

A New Do

Today I went to the hairdresser for an overdue cut and color.  While my color was processing, I chatted with my hairdresser about the joy of motherhood for someone in her forties.  All of the sudden a customer chimed in with her contributions.  She is a grandmother that watches her grandbabies.

I was expressing how tired I was.  How for the last year I have been sleep deprived and wondered if my life was ever going to resume.  The woman in the salon started laughing and said not for a long time. 

I then began talking about how I have to get a head start to go to the bathroom because before I know it I hear the pitter patter of little knees coming down the hallway followed by her daddy chasing her.  Is nothing sacred?  The woman in the salon then said "it is kind of like trying to poop with a baby on your lap."  I started to laugh.  There were a few other anecdotes that we shared.

Part of me laughed at how funny it sounded to hear someone else say the many things that I have been thinking.  For so long I have thought, "am I the only one that experiences these things?"  or "am I a bad parent because no one else talks about these things?"

I feel like my spirit has lifted.  Not just because I have a new hairdo (and my daughter barely recognized me without a pony tail) but, because I am not alone in the experiences that I have been experiencing!!

Monday, April 5, 2010

Easter

Well Easter has come and gone.  The eggs are cracked and eaten, baskets made and emptied and the chocolate, well we just keep eating that.  I swear we have done nothing but eat since Good Friday.  This was a fun Easter for us.  Last year our daughter was only 5 weeks old. 

This year she looked in her basket and grabbed exactly what she wanted:  her chocolate bunny.  Only this bunny (aka Reester bunny) was filled with peanut butter.  She dove right in and bit into the ear and then the peanut butter.  When she was finished, she handed the wet, melted bunny back to us.

I enjoyed watching all the little ones (nieces and nephews) looking at their baskets in search of their favorite goodies.  It takes me back to childhood.  Sometimes that is a fun place to be, lost in memories.