Valentines Blues
I try to limit posts on this blog to the "everything nice" category, because, all things considered, I am SO blessed that I really shouldn't be allowed to complain. But today, if you'll permit me, I just have a wee bit of venting to do.
Nothing has gone terribly wrong in the last week, but we've all been a little... well... funky. There has been a pretty bad head cold going around the house. Some of us are recovering more quickly than others. L has been fussy and clingy during the day, and waking a lot at night. I can't put my finger on why. I know some of it is teething, but I think she's also got a touch of the cold (although not as bad as N, thank goodness), and is struggling to take the final step (or should I say scoot?) towards crawling and is impatient with that. She's also gotten a pretty bad case of separation anxiety and has lately taken to crying whenever I leave the room. Due to my frustration and sleep deprivation from dealing with L, never mind not feeling well myself, I have had a really short fuse with N when she does any kind of misbehaving. Of course I always feel guilty for that, which only makes matters worse. And N has had her own multitude of reasons to be cranky. She got the worst of the head cold and is still recovering (or maybe even getting worse? I'm considering having her ears checked before we leave for Florida). She has had some bad bouts with eczema and digestive issues this week, and last night I discovered what looked like hives all over her legs. Poor girl.
Yesterday was particularly exhausting. L was up at 5:20 and N followed shortly after at 6. M was a champ and got up with them while I slept until 6:40. We got everybody ready for church (which is enough of a challenge in and of itself) and put the girls in the nursery, only to be paged almost immediately after we sat down because L was crying inconsolably. We took turns bouncing her and trying to keep her quiet throughout the service. When we got home, N was too exhausted to eat lunch, and after fighting about it with her for a while, I gave in when she said, "Mama, PLEASE can I take a nap in my bed?" L, on the other hand, refused to take her nap since she had slept in the car for 20 minutes on the way home from church and got a second wind. M watched L for me while I got some work done for youth orchestra while N was sleeping. We all made it through a fussy, cranky dinner and then started bath time, only to discover that we had no hot water. I scrubbed both girls down quickly in an inch of lukewarm water while they shivered. Then M took L, and I took N and we put them down to bed. Finally, we were able to relax together! I left the dishes in the sink and we sat down on the couch together to watch some TV........ and we both fell asleep on each other's shoulders by 8 PM.
That was the extent of our pre-Valentines romance... and I'm expecting the same tonight, since last night's sleep was no better, and we're trading the girls off this afternoon while I go to youth orchestra and I won't be home until after 7 PM.
So this morning, I broke our no-TV-before-naptime rule and put on Blues Clues for N while I had two cups of coffee, did the dishes from last night, and wrote this blog post. Luckily, L is endlessly entertained by a pile of Cheerios these days. She's sitting next to me now, making num-num noises.
Thanks for letting me vent. I feel better now.
I think this trip to Florida is coming at a perfect time and will be a welcome reprieve for all of us. Now if I can just manage to find the energy to get us organized and packed, when I barely seem to be able to keep up with the dishes and pick up the toys.
On the plus side, we had a wonderful visit from my family on Saturday, and I got these beautiful roses and a homemade card from M:
Nothing has gone terribly wrong in the last week, but we've all been a little... well... funky. There has been a pretty bad head cold going around the house. Some of us are recovering more quickly than others. L has been fussy and clingy during the day, and waking a lot at night. I can't put my finger on why. I know some of it is teething, but I think she's also got a touch of the cold (although not as bad as N, thank goodness), and is struggling to take the final step (or should I say scoot?) towards crawling and is impatient with that. She's also gotten a pretty bad case of separation anxiety and has lately taken to crying whenever I leave the room. Due to my frustration and sleep deprivation from dealing with L, never mind not feeling well myself, I have had a really short fuse with N when she does any kind of misbehaving. Of course I always feel guilty for that, which only makes matters worse. And N has had her own multitude of reasons to be cranky. She got the worst of the head cold and is still recovering (or maybe even getting worse? I'm considering having her ears checked before we leave for Florida). She has had some bad bouts with eczema and digestive issues this week, and last night I discovered what looked like hives all over her legs. Poor girl.
Yesterday was particularly exhausting. L was up at 5:20 and N followed shortly after at 6. M was a champ and got up with them while I slept until 6:40. We got everybody ready for church (which is enough of a challenge in and of itself) and put the girls in the nursery, only to be paged almost immediately after we sat down because L was crying inconsolably. We took turns bouncing her and trying to keep her quiet throughout the service. When we got home, N was too exhausted to eat lunch, and after fighting about it with her for a while, I gave in when she said, "Mama, PLEASE can I take a nap in my bed?" L, on the other hand, refused to take her nap since she had slept in the car for 20 minutes on the way home from church and got a second wind. M watched L for me while I got some work done for youth orchestra while N was sleeping. We all made it through a fussy, cranky dinner and then started bath time, only to discover that we had no hot water. I scrubbed both girls down quickly in an inch of lukewarm water while they shivered. Then M took L, and I took N and we put them down to bed. Finally, we were able to relax together! I left the dishes in the sink and we sat down on the couch together to watch some TV........ and we both fell asleep on each other's shoulders by 8 PM.
That was the extent of our pre-Valentines romance... and I'm expecting the same tonight, since last night's sleep was no better, and we're trading the girls off this afternoon while I go to youth orchestra and I won't be home until after 7 PM.
So this morning, I broke our no-TV-before-naptime rule and put on Blues Clues for N while I had two cups of coffee, did the dishes from last night, and wrote this blog post. Luckily, L is endlessly entertained by a pile of Cheerios these days. She's sitting next to me now, making num-num noises.
Thanks for letting me vent. I feel better now.
I think this trip to Florida is coming at a perfect time and will be a welcome reprieve for all of us. Now if I can just manage to find the energy to get us organized and packed, when I barely seem to be able to keep up with the dishes and pick up the toys.
On the plus side, we had a wonderful visit from my family on Saturday, and I got these beautiful roses and a homemade card from M:
It's times like these that make me so thankful for my Valentine. He selflessly does more things than I can count to help keep our family running. He is by far a better parent than I am, because he can work hard all week and then come home and work hard all weekend taking care of our girls... and all with a smile on his face. I am very very lucky to be married to such an amazing husband and father. When I think about how much we've both grown and changed for the better together since that first little Valentine he sent me nine years ago (wow!) I am humbled and thankful beyond words. Happy Valentines Day, M!! I love you SO much!
There, we've come round to "everything nice" again. Here's to a happy Valentines Day for all my readers.
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