The Hall Closet
So I have to brag on myself a bit today.
I got home from my full day of work (8 hours) yesterday. I strapped my baby on via the sling carrier and began cooking dinner. I had no recipe, and little food (since I haven't been to the store in a couple weeks). What I did have was this: cheap frozen boneless/skinless chicken breasts, brown rice, eggs. So what did I do? I made Chicken Fried Rice. And it was really good!
I know, I know. It seems like no big deal. But it really IS a big deal to me. It was my first full day back to work after maternity leave, and I was still able to take care of my house and family.
But, that's not all...
CJ woke up at 6am this morning to eat. 6am-6:45am is her play time in the mornings. So I read her a book and talked and played. She drifted back off to sleep around 7am.
And what did I do? I told her still-sleeping daddy to keep an ear out for her because I was going to run an errand. I went to Lowe's and bought wood, brackets, and screws. Then I came home and completely reorganized my hall closet. I took everything out, tossed a bunch of junk, built new shelves, and put back the remaining items.
*woot*
Then I was still able to shower, get dressed up, pack up CJ, and make it to work 10 minutes early (I came in at noon today)!
*woot*WOOOOOT*
Heck yeah!
So. Here is the decision I have made...
When I get up for her 6am feeding, I will get up for good. There is so much that I can get done in those morning hours that I can't get done on the other . Also, the thing that makes me the most tired is changing my sleep schedule. Believe it or not, sleeping in makes me MORE tired.
So, at least for a little while, I am going to stay up after her 6am feeding. (That is, as long as she keeps her good sleep schedule like she has been doing).
On that note... I FINALLY found a way to get her to sleep at night.
I have been researching all sorts of different methods. Everything from rocking her to sleep to letting her cry it out.
NOTHING was working.
If I rocked her to sleep, she would wake up and cry withing a few seconds of putting her down. On an average night, this resulted in me rocking, putting down, picking up, rocking some more... from 9pm to 1am.
Then I tried the "cry-herself-to-sleep" method. I REALLY didn't like this one. On the last night I tried this, after hearing her scream for almost an hour, I finally went and picked her up and decided that method was not for us.
I've tried feeding her to sleep, but my nipples were on FIRE after 2 hours of feeding.
I am strongly opposed to letting her sleep with us (I know too many twelve year olds who won't sleep in their own room).
I tried swaddling.
I tried swinging.
I tried rocking.
I tried walking.
I tried singing.
I tried being still and quiet.
NOTHING was working.
Until this.
When bedtime comes, I turn out all the lights in the house. Then, sitting in front of a low-volume TV (to give her some background noise), she eats her bed-time meal. She usually falls asleep about 45 minutes after she starts eating.
Then I put her to bed. If she wakes up while putting her down, I pat her on the back to soothe her, then leave the room once she's calm. Once I leave the room, I don't go back in for ten minutes, even if she's crying.
I let her cry ten minutes, then go in to soothe her again *without* picking her up. Once calm, I leave the room for another ten minutes and the process begins again.
For the first couple nights, I had to go in 2-3 times (making bedtime last about 20-30 minutes, which is still better than four hours). After about three nights, she only cried a minute or two before drifting off to sleep.
Then lastnight *hallelujah* I put her down. She woke up, turned her head over, sighed, and closed her eyes.
*VICTORY IS MINE!!!*
Another thing this particular article suggested was slowly diminishing the length of nightime feedings.
She has already (on her own) completely dropped the midnight feeding.
She still wakes up at 3am, but (again, on her own) she is only eating 10 minutes or so before drifting back off to sleep.
So, all in all, if I go to bed at 11pm, I get SEVEN hours of sleep, with only ONE TEN-MINUTE nighttime feeding.
That's pretty darn good, if I do say so myself.
I know, it may not seem like such huge accomplishment to some. But it is a GRAND improvement over eating for an hour as often as every two hours ALL NIGHT LONG.
Anyways... that's my life right now. Housework, regular work, feeding my husband, and taking care of CJ.
And you know what? I LOVE IT!
You know what else I have discovered?
I could never be a stay-at-home mom.
I feel so much more fulfilled and content when I work.
My life has a schedule. That makes everything easier.
And I feel more productive. That makes me want to be even MORE productive (hence, the 7am closet overhaul).
I really do LIKE being a working mom. Granted, I'm glad I'm not working 40 hours a week (only about 30). Still, I am glad to work when I do.
Okay... so I suppose that's all for now.
Tomorrow is Friday.
*woot*
Next week is Thanksgiving.
*double woot*
TaTa For Now