The folks I babysit for are reliably unreliable. Today this has proven most convenient.
Rachel has decided that sleep is optional. On Monday she was little Miss Fussypants from noon until midnight when she finally stopped screaming and fell asleep. She was driving me crazy! By 6 pm I was totally done being a mother. Unfortunately, motherhood doesn't really work that way and Andrew had class until 6:45 so didn't get home until after 7.
Even then he wasn't really home because he wanted to work on a big paper he has due on Thursday. So I was on Rachel duty until 10:30 pm, at which time I totally lost it. I just couldn't handle her screaming anymore--the only time she wasn't screaming was if she was nursing. Even then it was suck, suck, SCREAM, suck, suck, SCREAM! After 10 and a half hours of this nonsense, I was through.
I marched into the living room, handed Rachel to Andrew, went into our bedroom and locked the door. I then read scriptures while I plugged my ears, after which I took a nap, blocking Rachel's wails out by putting Andrew's pillow over my head.
Andrew thought he was doomed to sleep on the couch since I had locked the bedroom door. He wasn't, really. It was just a terrible day and I needed alone time, desperately.
At midnight, Rachel was still screaming and Andrew was trying to coax her to sleep. I came out of the bedroom and her face was one gooey mess of tears, snot, and drool. It was all pooling up under her chin and dripping to the floor.
I hastily wiped off her face and let her eat. Miraculously, she fell asleep and slept through the night.
Yesterday was a bit of a better day. She didn't scream much at all, although she was kind of fussy. My theory is that she's beginning to teethe. She clutches at her cheeks a lot and tries to shove her whole hand in her mouth. We took a two hour nap in the afternoon because she was acting so tired. And then she slept from 6-7, or so. Still, that's only about 3 hours of nap time.
Rachel did not go to bed until 2 am. She then woke up at 4 and didn't go back to sleep until around 6. The alarm went off at 7:21. I got out of bed around 8:30 to get ready for Emma; I was absolutely hating life. Interestingly enough, though, my nightmares weren't very bad.
I am plagued by nightmares and usually wake up petrified at least 5 times a week. Last night I dreamt about having nightmares. When I "woke up" from my nightmare, I wasn't in our house, but I "woke" Andrew up anyway, and he helped calm me down and checked the doors of my dream house with me. Then I went back to "sleep." I dreamed I was sleeping. Is there something significant about that, or was I just protecting myself from having to wake up?
Anyway, Rachel got up at around 8:30 as well, wanting to eat. So, I'm sitting here, feeding her, and the phone rings. It's the family I babysit for.
"Is it alright if Emma doesn't come today? I have the morning off."
Is it alright? Is it alright? I can go back to bed!
"Yes, that will be fine."
So, now I'm off to bed. Rachel just fell asleep--convenient, isn't it?
Somehow I need to make sure neither of us naps too long so that Rachel can (hopefully) go to bed at a decent time tonight. Nine o'clock sounds good. The bedtime regimen usually starts around 7 and she's in bed by 10--I'm not sure what's gone awry these past few days. Perhaps we'll try some teething medicine sometime. She really likes it when I rub her gums, but still I feel no teeth-like bumps, just little blistery things that go away after a while. I don't know what to do.
Those days are the worst. Hurray for Emma taking the day off!
ReplyDeleteYou inherited the nightmares from me--you know that some of mine are horror novels just waiting to be written, but I can't write them; I've tried and they are just too scary to spend any more time with than forced to while having them in the first place--and I apologize for that. First my ugly thumbs and knees, and now this. It just isn't fair! My nightmares got more manageable after about age 30, so you have that to look forward to. I don't remember what to do with teething babies; I will let your friends give you advice about that. They are much more current with such things!
ReplyDeleteHey Nanny... some quick things to try... let her suck on a wet cloth - it gets kind of messy, but you won't be as sore! Also, maybe try a popsicle on her gums she'll get a little flavor, but it will help numb her teeth. The popsicle worked the best for... actually, not to rub it in... but my kids pretty much just woke up and had teeth one day! They didn't get them this early, but they weren't cranky about it! (Sorry that doesn't help I know... but try the other two things... another one is a freezee... but my kids never hung on to it (too cold) and teething rings never worked either, they weren't interested in them, and Rachel being only little, might not be either!
ReplyDeleteLove you!!!
(PS. I do remember one time when Deklan was a few months old phoning mom and dad at 11:30 at night... Billy had driven to Calgary to Shoppers to find some baby tylenol... and Deklan was SCREAMING SCREAMING SCREAMING... I phoned and Dad answered and I simply said: "I need help, if you want a grandson in the morning, you'd better hurry..." He was over at the house in less than 30 seconds, took Deklan and I cried in the bathroom!)
Thanks Abra--we tried the wet cloth thing (see picture #1)...and we do have freezees, so maybe we'll give those a try.
ReplyDeleteMy neighbour brought me some Hyland's teething tablets, so we're going to try those if she gets really cranky again tonight. Maybe they'll work. Who knows?