Apparently, along with the teething, Claire and Fuzz (our miniature rat terrier) decided last night that we did not need to sleep between the hours of 2 am and 4 am.
Apparently, Claire has decided that she can fall slam asleep in my arms while rocking her, but when I go to lay her down, she wakes right back up and sits upright in the crib ready to play. Apparently, she is not getting the memo that it is night night time.
Apparently, Fuzz isn't either as he has to wake up numerous times during the night. It's not his fault as he is in a lot of pain, so I have to give more pain meds, take him out to use the bathroom, and try to help him get comfortable. Apparently, I should run a night time doggy daycare on the side.
Apparently, Claire is learning that if she whines after she sits back up in the crib that I will come get her back out and rock her back to sleep. And apparently it works. The funny thing is that she does go back to sleep. But apparently, even though I know she's in a deep dream-like sleep because she is smiling and making faces in her sleep, she will still wake right back up after 4 times of trying to put her back in the crib.
Apparently, even if I try to trick her by laying down in the twin bed in her room and let her play herself to sleep, that doesn't work either. Apparently, she will just sit in silence making me think she is asleep and when I poke my head up off of the bed, she is sitting there looking over the bumper pad right at me!
Apparently, since Fuzz is in pain and I feel sorry for him, he gets to come up to Claire's room with me and get on the twin bed. Apparently, he is higher on the totem pole than me as he gets to lay up by the pillows and I get to curl up in a ball at the end of the bed like a dog.
Apparently, after 3 tries of getting Claire back to sleep, I decided that she apparently knew I was in the room with her and wouldn't go to sleep. So I went back down to our room with Fuzz, and watched her on the video monitor. She sat in the corner of the crib and whined for what seemed like an eternity but was apparently only about 5 minutes until I couldn't stand her being upset anymore.
Apparently, I figured she must still be hungry so I fixed yet another bottle.
Apparently, I went back upstairs (with dog in tow), picked her up out of the crib, sat her down with the tough mom look and asked her what in the world was wrong. Apparently she didn't like this approach as she started crying louder. I gave her the bottle, but apparently, she was not still hungry as she pushed it away from her mouth with a pouty cry.
Apparently, I have no tough love skills as I squeezed her tightly and apologized profusely to my 11 month old and continued to rock her as she smiled at me. Apparently, she melts my heart even at 4 am.
Apparently, after 2 hours of this, Claire finally decided it was time to go back to sleep and she slept until 7 am when I had to wake her up so I could go to work. She rolled over with a huge smile with her 5 1/2 teeth showing. Apparently, she didn't remember being up all night.
Apparently, Claire has my number.
Apparently, I am feeling the mom guilt this morning. I need some advice from other moms - especially heart moms - on how you don't feel soooo extremely guilty when you get frustrated at your child who has already been through so much in his/her life that you don't want them to ever feel scared or hurt or worried or anything bad ever again. Even if it means they never sleep at night or eat real food because they gag or choke on anything other than baby food or chopped up spaghetti. Or how you don't feel so guilty for getting frustrated because you want to go back to sleep because you have to go to work in the morning, but then you think about the heart moms who have lost their babies and don't have them anymore to be up at 2 am to 4 am with. Is this something I am going to feel the rest of my life? Apparently, I am not the enforcer in our house. I always thought Trent would be, but now I am a little worried that I might be wrong about that too because, apparently, Claire has him wrapped around her finger. Apparently, from my rambling, you can tell I had no sleep and am emotional today.
Apparently, this is why the word "parent" is stuck smack dab in the middle of the word "apparently." I guess as parents, we apparently don't know anything and have a lot to figure out, right?
Apparently, from the picture below taken about 10 minutes after Claire woke up, Claire has no idea that she should be tired.
On a side note, Claire would like to wish her BFF Eliza a happy 1st birthday today!! And her Aunt Brandy a happy 25th birthday today!!!
Love,
The Scott Family
My only advice is that if something feels wrong, then go with your gut. I nurtured and rocked and petted my heart-healthy son as much as I do Mason. I've read all the research and my mom instinct leans towards all the findings that "spoiling" actually increases self-esteem and confidence in children. So, I spoil away, LOL! Also, I consider my children "not themselves" when they are teething, LOL.
ReplyDeleteJust to add, after Mason's is healed from surgery, we are probably going to do some gentle sleep training that involves us in the room patting and comforting him. There's "nice" ways of doing things, LOL... but if this is all caused by teeth, I wouldn't worry about it too much! Can Claire take meds due to her liver? I can never remember if it's tylenol or motrin that affects the liver...
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