Right after we got engaged, BigD pulled Husband aside and said "When Elizabeth gets cranky, tell her to go take a nap. She'll be better when she wakes up."*
I've never needed that much sleep.
In high school and college I would routinely pull all-nighters. In graduate school, I did my best work between midnight and 4am when things all around were quiet and all there was to hear were the soothing city sounds and the click click of typing.
And when I covered red-carpet and parties, I would have to scurry home afterwards to transcribe and write to make my 8am deadline. After the long nights, I'd nap for a few hours, then go on with the rest of my day.
But I can only do it so many days in a row. After five or six days, maximum, it starts to affect my mood. I get teary for no real reason and my patience dissapates.** In the olden days, I would just spend an entire day in bed to catch up.***
Life is a little bit different these days.
Elliot is a sweet baby and sometimes when I hear stories of babies that are much more challenging, I feel extra lucky. He has been sleeping in five hour shifts at night. During the day, we play, he eats, then naps. (Repeat) He's cheery and babbles funny things. He doesn't complain when I drag him all over town on errands or walks. And he doesn't fuss when I put him down in the bouncy seat or in his play gym for me to have a few moments of hands-off time.
Until recently.
For the past four or five days, he's been ultra fussy. He doesn't want to play, go anywhere, sit alone or sleep longer than about two to three hours. He does want to be held while I walk around the house while we discuss what we are seeing. He does want to eat every two or so hours and spit lots of it up, always on himself, often on me if he can aim it just right. And he only wants to play, if I am playing with him.
I don't resent him for it.
First of all, he's a baby and he's only been around for about 14 weeks. One day he will be big and may not let me hold him as much as I want to, so it's really a little bit nice. And he's clearly having a bit of a hard time right now, so of course I'm going to do what he needs to help him work it out. Also, it's not that it's difficult, it's just constant. Plus, he's my dear baby, so I love him no matter what.
But I have asked for some advice.
The nurse says "He's a baby. They do this."
Big D says, "If he's upset, clearly it is something you did. Tell him I will always be on his side."****
The internets say "It's a growth spurt and he may be teething., but it will pass."*****
So this will all be fine. But, in the meantime, I am exhausted.
Usually in the mornings, after I feed him at 6:30 or 7, I hop into the shower while Husband listens out for him. Then the day starts.
This morning, I couldn't do it. He had been up every two or three hours, each time for about an hour. So I had dozed in one hour increments and when I staggered out of bed, Elliot woke up as well. So I picked him up, crabbed a little at Husband, felt a little teary and we went downstairs as I plotted the day.
This was my plan:
"It's Tuesday. I'll head to my mother's group. Then I'll ask someone to keep an eye on him while I run to the bathroom. Then I'll wander a bit around the house until I find a bed. I will get in it and take a nap. Elliot will be fine and no one will come looking for a while. Also they are all nice, so probably they will let me sleep a bit."
Husband came down a few minutes later. This was Husband's plan:
"Elliot will eat again in a bit. Then he will sleep. When you put him down, get in the bed, too. Do not turn on your computer. Sleep. Do not read Gawker. Sleep. Do not fold the clothes. Sleep. I will come home at lunch, eat here and watch Elliot while you shower."
And that is what he did.
Elliot and I both slept for a full 90 minutes. He is clearly still tired because when Husband got home for lunch, he fussed a bit more, then fell back asleep.
As for me, we're still going to our group in a bit. And while I'm feeling almost back to normal, I need just a little bit more, so I still haven't ruled out my plan.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
*On that same day, my Nana also had some advice for Husband. "If she ever gets out of line, bear down on her." We don't know what this means. I asked her a few days afterward and she never really answered. She just laughed. She was also 93. I'm thinking that had something to do with it.
**With adult people, not with babies.
***Don't judge. In busy times, I would work four or five 15-hour days in a row. Even on the slow weeks, it would be three or four 15-hour days. It was much much fun and I never felt one bit guilty about spending an entire Wednesday in bed watching reruns or not showering, but rolling out to catch an afternoon matinee. Those were great years.
****She kids.
*****I love the internets.
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