That Carter's Commercial Tried To Warn Me...
that somedays would be fussy and others would be all smiles. Yesterday was not all smiles...It was fine right up until bed time. Elise didn't get all of her nap out yesterday afternoon thanks to the dog barking when my Mom arrived, so I knew that she was going to be ready to go down at 8:00. She took her bottle...and got a 2nd wind. For the next 2 hours we tried to get her to go down, but she wasn't having it, screaming if we even picked her up and tried to carry her back to her room. I am not a cry-it-out Mom, can't do it, it just stresses me too bad and she does not give up, it just doesn't work for us. 10:00 came and she shifted into high gear, sitting on the floor, not allowing either my Mom or I to pick her up, refusing a binky, fists balled at her sides, body shaking and just full on screaming. Her eyes were closed, she was almost asleep and still fighting it so bad and just melting down. It was horrible, I was in tears...worried about her crying so hard, was this a sign of future temper issues, did my Mom think she is spoiled, am I a horrible Mom for not being able to calm her down? I called the Rev, who is out of town preaching revival services, and cried to him, feeling like a finalist for worst Mom of the year.
Finally, she let my Mom pick her up and rock her and then she let me hold her and get her to sleep. When I put her down in the crib at 10:40, she was fast asleep but still doing that little shuddering, snivelling thing, poor girl.
Needless to say, I am stressed to the max, worried that she might have a rough day with her Mimi, who is here to take care of her in The Rev's absence. Don't get me wrong, I have loved this first year, but nobody really prepares you for how hard it can be. The lack of sleep, the worries about development, the comparing to other children, trying to establish healthy sleep routines, figuring out how to break the bottle, it can all be overwhelming, but I wouldn't trade it. Hoping for a day that is all smiles today...
P.S. On a lighter note, if you work at Carter's and are reading this, you should know that she is really the kid that Carter's built and I'd like to say she still looked super cute in her Carter's frog polka dot pajamas. Feel free to send us free clothes any time....
5 comments:
Oh, honey! That sounds awful. I remember times like that. Babies just get so adapted to their routines that any deviation throws off the whole bit. Hopefully she'll be in better spirits tomorrow - back to her normal happy self!
Oh hugs!! We have a very stubborn, fights his sleep lil guy, so I totally get it. Cry it out doesn't work for him either. Whine it out works, but if there are real tears you can forget it! He will drift off, then shake himself awake at the last second!
I've noticed that rough nights don't equal rough days. I bet she is all smiles again! You're doing a great job mama!!
I remember those nights. Erick was/is our problem sleeper...just like me. I don't know if you're using this yet, but music is the only thing that helps him, even to this day.
Hang in there!! We have all had days like this...Lucas had several months like this. If he got the least bit overly tired or off schedule he would lose it. But I survived and honestly have blocked out most of those memories ;)
wait till you get to the age of 3! Reese is going through these spells right now with full on melt downs. WE had one today as a matter of fact. Everything is deserving of tears and throwing herself on the floor. I guess the point I'm making is you get used to it and they are going to be okay and you're a good mom!!
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