Monday, December 21, 2009

Holiday spirit restored

We had a great weekend! I can't say I am rested or anything, but at least it was fun. Saturday my mom came over and we (Lana, Mom and I) made Christmas cookies. We made gingerbread cutouts (from the Pillsbury pre-made dough) and homemade jam thumbprints from a recipe from my BFF's aunt, which are really good. I thought Lana might get tired of the day of baking, but she didn't. My mom and Lana made the cookies mostly, since I have the boobs, I take care of Lacey. But I did assist while Lacey was sleeping. When it came time to decorate the cutouts, Lana took it SO seriously. She was meticulously painting on frosting and sprinkles, just the way she wanted. I can't believe she went all day on ONE activity! She is really good in the kitchen, measuring things and cleaning up even.

Saturday night, my mom watched Lana while Bill, Lacey and I went to a grown-ups party. We went out for sushi first, so that we didn't get too drunk eating cheese and olives all night. It worked out great. Lana spent some fun time with my mom and got lots of attention. I really love watching their relationship develop. Lana didn't even care that we were leaving for the evening! What a change from just a year ago! Lacey was so good at the party--she was passed around like a party favor and just looked around and didn't make a peep. Man, we never would have even tried to take Lana to a party when Lana was a baby--it would have been a screamfest. Its so crazy how different they are. I had to nurse a couple of times, and then she fell asleep in the baby bjorn. It was nice to have a cocktail and socialize with adults for once.

On Sunday, I took Lana to see the Princess and the Frog, just the two of us. It was our first "date" since Lacey was born. We had lunch at Red Robin first and then saw the movie. It was only Lana's second movie ever and the princess topic is so perfect for her right now, since that is all she talks about. We ate popcorn and drank fruit punch--the red kind, which I think made her a little crazy. Is that possible? The whole red dye making kids hyperactive? She was a total crazed nut the rest of the day! I blame the fruit punch, but maybe it was just a fluke. Anyway, I digress. She watched the whole movie, only became restless for a little while in the middle and seemed very into the story. We talked the whole way home about our favorite parts. We had a very special time together. For me, I really missed being so focused on her and I had a feeling of freedom b/c I had no diaper bag, no pooping, no feeding from under my shirt, etc. By the time we got home, my tits almost exploded, but it was totally worth it. When we got home, Lacey fed like every 10 minutes until we went to bed, since she doesn't do that well with the bottle. But overall, it was a good day.

I am glad we had a good weekend b/c I have been in a cranky mood for the past couple of weeks. Its directly related to the lack of sleep I have been getting. Prior to a couple of weeks ago, Lacey was sleeping a 4-5h stretch at the beginning of the night and then another 3h after that, pretty reliably. But then we all got a cold (again) and she was congested, so her sleep got messed up. Well, she is better now, but her sleep is not. She basically wakes up every 2-2.5h for a snack (she only feeds about 10 min from one side) and then passes out cold, so I put her back in her crib and we repeat in 2-2.5h. Bill thinks I should un-swaddle her, turn on the lights, change diapers and wake her up enough to drink more, but I don't think this will help b/c if this were the case, her first stretch of sleep should be the same as before since she is awake and full before we put her down for the night. Anyway, getting up every 2h more or less, totally sucks. At least I don't have to go to work and be intelligent the next day. But still, I am getting more headaches and I am crabby. Hopefully she will just magically revert back to the previous schedule soon. Soon please! At 13 weeks, I was hoping she would be sleeping longer stretches, like 6-7h, but it looks like my kids are just not great big sleepers. Sigh.

We actually did most of the things on my list for the holidays this year--cards, gingerbread house, cookies. Heck, I even had friends over for dinner! So I say mission accomplished. I still have to wrap a boatload of gifts. When? I am not sure. I am not staying up late to do it, since I am already up all night every night. Maybe I will get Bill to do it-HA! That's pretty funny.

3 comments:

DesiDVM said...

Ok so you're basically living my life LOL. We also went to a Christmas party this weekend (but with both kids since other 3 yr olds were there). I also took J on a "date" last week to Princess & the Frog which was thankfully not too girly for him. Jr. also is weird about the bottle even after 3 weeks w/me back at work so when I'm home it's nurse nurse nurse nurse.....then more nursing. If it makes you feel better, Jr. is ALSO waking up all night long to eat after doing great for a few weeks and then getting sick. Maybe it's a 3 month growth spurt?

Just a little aside - DON'T turn the lights on and wake the baby up when you feed her! Been there, made that mistake. I've learned the hard way that it's best to be "all business" about those nighttime nursing sessions - no lights, no eye contact, no talking, and no unswaddling by any means. Also I wouldn't call what she's doing snacking, from my first BF experience I remember that they get very efficient, J was also a one-boob, ten-minute feeder for EVERY feeding by 3 months, and Jr. seems to be the same way.

Maria said...

So glad to hear that Lana seems to be in the swing of big sisterhood! You guys have done such a good job making her feel included. The whole wrapping thing...I fight with that every year, and usually we end up up too late on Christmas eve, so I can be of no assistance there. Glad to hear you are in the holiday spirit and hope sleep is among the gifts you receive!

Joanna said...

I'm glad you were able to get out and have some adult time and also some Lana time as well. I really got a giggle out of the tits exploding comment. There's a feeling I'll never forget. All you had to do was say it and boom, it took me back to the day when I had to hand express milk into toilet paper wads in the bathroom at work. Ouch!

I'm sorry about the sleep issues. We have had a few rough nights lately, and they really do suck the life right out of you. I hope Santa figures out a way to give you some sleep for Christmas.