Wishes for 2011

I started the year off sleeping. We had gone to a family friendly New Year's Eve party, but I was in bed by 11. Sounds like a good way to begin 2011, to me!
Of course, someone in the neighborhood decided to set off real fireworks at midnight, so I also started the New Year waking. Oh well.
I also started the New Year (New Year's Day) off having pancakes with Acorn and Mr. S, working on a poem, going on a hike in a nearby state park(eating some hoppin' john in the car before the hike), watching Acorn run down the path and get enamored with leaves, shopping, having greek food, and, today, having brunch with a great bunch of friends.

These are the things I want from the year:
more sleep, food with those I love, poetry, friends, nature. My baby growing, learning, thriving.
I would also like more financial security(ie more work), and a sibling for Acorn. We are trying to be realistic about the latter. We know we are lucky to have Acorn, and to be parents. But, we are greedy (esp. me) and want someone for her and for us. Mr. S is convinced it is an unlikelihood, but I will dream for awhile.

I haven't really made resolutions. I am wishing on 2011 like it is a birthday cake.

I hope you all are having a wonderful start to your year.

the sleepy and the restless

As some of you know, Acorn has been on a no-sleep rampage ever since she was sick a couple of weeks ago. Waking every 1-3 hours, screaming. I kept thinking/hoping it would stop the next night(when the tooth came in, when we put her to bed early enough, etc) but it didn't. I was so exhausted, this Wednesday, that I spent the whole day on the verge of tears, and I was DONE.
Two nights earlier, during the 3rd wake-up within 5 hours, in the bleary 3am time slot, Edward Olmos as Cmmdr. Adama(Battlestar Galactica)'s voice came to me, his constant words, "This ends NOW." echoing in my head.

On Wednesday night, Mr. S took the first shift(after I realized there was no way she actully *needed* food at 11/12 or 1). I went into the other room and slept with earplugs, and we agreed he wouldn't get me until 230. She was awake from 11-130, with him. He said he almost wavered, but realized how many nights I have had the screaming beast, so he kept with it. I woke at 230, went in, and found her on the bed with him, with a pillow fort all around.

The next night we implemented 'sleep training' where we did the whole minimal crying thing, allowing her 3 minutes of alone crying before one of us would go in and verbally comfort her, or touch her, but not pick her up, or nurse her. She used to go down at night easily, sleepy, but awake, so we knew she had the ability. She cried for about 22 minutes(with mild breaks) and then fell asleep. She slept until 230!!! The crying part sucked, as we are usually both very quick to respond to her. I tried to get the mindset I have when I am driving and can't pull over when she is crying.

And, last night she went down easily and slept EIGHT hours. Holy Moly. My body was like ?&%$?, I woke 3 times during that time period, but without the responsibility of nursing/changing, placing a baby in her crib to make me really wake.

Why didn't we start this earlier(like at the beginning of my two weeks of h*ell)??? Ah well. Hopefully things will continue in this improved vein.

Probably the cutest yawner in this house...

one month

I've been reading _from the h.ips_ the book a friend sent me and that was highly recommended. Man, is it helpful to read through all of the conflicting emotions and reactions that people have after they baby arrives!

Acorn is one month old and has celebrated by sleeping a full 5 hours in a row, three nights in a row! Of course, this starts at 7pm, and after 2+ hours of fussy cluster feeding(which wears me out, but at least I have the hope of quiet to get me through it...) Part of me wants to just go to sleep when she does, but I have been going to bed more around 930-10. Unfortunately, my b.reasts still wake me up every 2.5-3 hours! They get leaky and I wake, wondering why the baby isn't feeding. I am trying to pump less, so they will desist. I have to do laundry a LOT because of milk on my day and night clothes! I do another 2 hour wake and feed around 1-2am, and am dealing pretty well with the broken sleep. Mostly, that is.

I am still having some pains in that area as well, mostly b/c the antibiotics for the mastitis re-flared the yeast inf. which causes crazy shooting pains. So strange! I do look forward to not feeling governed by my chest, but know that will be months or more.

But, I am able to look ahead a few days, and I can see how Acorn is getting into a semi-rhythm and also starting to make faces at us. I've seen her 'sleep-smile' a few times and can't wait to see it when she is awake!

It snowed Saturday, huge fat flakes. Mr. S and I were on the couch with the baby between us, and I had one of my first peaceful, truly happy moments. Lovely.