how things are...

Life with three has been decent thus far.  Not great, but decent.  My big struggle I am having is getting poor Little Robyn adequate sleep.  Her nights have been fine and she is out for 3 hours at a time, and up very briefly for quick feeds and right back to sleep.  However- the poor thing is kinda sleep deprived during the day and has been a fussy baby because of it the past two days.   It’s a good thing she’s so cute!

My issue is not getting her to fall asleep.  I nurse her while the kids are running around doing whatever- and she falls asleep on my shoulder during the post burp.  But- If I try and put her down upstairs she wakes up within a few minutes wailing!  It’s like she can’t sleep in the intense quiet of upstairs.  If I put her to bed in her bassinet or chair down here on the main level or in a sling...she actually stays asleep.  It’s like she needs some noise!  However- the bangs or cries from the kids, or barks from the dog DO wake her up.... and then she cries till she has a bit more milk and passes out again... and then will wake up 10 minutes later when a door slams, or Jesse zooms past with a loud toy, or Janna decides she needs to wear some winter boots and shoves them on her feet.

And the more tired she is from the interrupted sleep- the worse her wake ups are each time.... more upset, more crying, more air swallows, more gas, more nursing to calm her....Ugh...  She’s been getting good long chunks in while the kids are napping, and in the evening when they are in bed, but the day has been HARD!  It’s not Robyn’s crying and having to nurse so much but it’s the juggling act of trying to be there for Jesse and Janna while I try and get her to Sleep ALL DAY LONG.  You can’t expect little kids to be dead quiet all day, but Janna or Jesse’s cries or squeals are VERY hard to handle when you finally think your baby might be in a deep slumber.   This morning it was 6:30-11 that we played this game.... and then again from 2:30 until 6.  

And then I feel guilty because I’m not able to give Janna and Jesse nearly the amount of attention I’m used to.  They pretty much hung out in the living room all day cycling between playing on their own, watching TV, or having me try to read books while nursing/burping/rocking Robyn to sleep.   I felt like it was all I could do to get everyone dressed, fed, and kept alive today.  Although, I did manage to set up a little science experiment/art activity for Jesse today recommended by a friend.   I colored a bunch of vinegar and had a big sheet of baking soda.  Jesse spent about 20 minutes with an eye dropper making little color explosions when dropping the vinegar into the pan.  Janna enjoyed her pastels for that time as well.  

Dave got home at 4:30 as I had just finished nursing the baby while cooking spaghetti, disciplining Jesse for his attitude and getting after Janna for playing in the closet, and I burst into tears about how hard the day was.  I continued crying over supper and Jesse was finally nice to me for the first time all day. Maybe I should have crying fits first thing in the morning in front of him?  He has been getting all attitudish lately and it’s pretty hard to handle.  Today he was playing in a drawer that he KNOWS he isn’t allowed to play in.  When I told him to close it he told me with a big scowl on his face and rolling eyes,    “Mom! I asked Jesus if I could play in the drawer and HE said Yes.  A superhero is going to come and throw your Head in Jail!  But not Robyn. ”  Oh my.... I laugh now as I sit here and write that- but at the time,  I really did want to throw his head against the wall!   All day long I have been reminding myself of all the wonderful things I have to be thankful for.  My kids are healthy, my husband is amazing, I only have 3 pounds of pregnancy weight left to shedJ

Anyways, it is now 7:30 and all my children are asleep.  Bliss.  Who knows for how long, but I slowly feel my composure returning.  I am crossing my fingers for a better day tomorrow, but again, who knows.   I attempt to take all 3 out for a few groceries on my own in the morning, so stay tuned for how that goes....  We’ll see if Dave comes home to another sobbing wife, although it is Friday and so the promise of tag teaming the kids for a few days might just pull me through.     Thanks for reading. I’m out!