tired.

Tired. So Tired. Last night was challenging. She has been taking hours to fall asleep at night. Usually 7:30 - 9 or 10. During that time, when I think she's asleep and put her in her crib, she wakes up crying. Last night she went in her crib at 10 but hadn't eaten since 7 or 8pm. So she woke up to eat at 1am and then wouldn't. go. back. to sleep. Until 3am. Ughh. I love this little girl but boy am I tired!

I bought a Moby Wrap and started using it today. She is napping now. Hoping this helps with her fussiness from what seems to be overtiredness. She was never fussy until the past two weeks or so. She just seems to be having more difficulty napping. I absolutely love the times when she is awake, alert, smiling, cooing. I love it. But those times seem short in comparison to the fighting sleep. I'm reading all sorts of different things. It seems people say that 6-8 weeks or so is a challenging time. Is this true?

forfeiting being a creature of habit

Placket-Neck Sweater

This was the last project I finished knitting before Elizabeth was born. Since then I have probably knit 5 rows on an afghan I started for her last June. It is hard to fit in time to knit in between feedings, chores, playing and naps while she naps. I miss it. Not having time to read, knit or scrapbook have been amoung the hardest adjustments. Feeling as though your time is not your own. I feel selfish saying that but it is true. I love this mom stuff but it is really hard.

I have been reading about schedules and routines for babies. Not sure I buy into them. I belive in following my babies lead and using that to establish a loose routine. Sometimes I worry that I am just winging it all the time! I worry a lot about setting up habits that I will have to break later. Though at this age (6 weeks) I know that you still really can't spoil a baby. At this point, I guess we do have somewhat of a routine. She tends to fall asleep around 9 - 9:30. If I don't feed her before then she is up at midnight. Otherwise she usually wakes for a feeding around 2-3am and then is usually up for good at 6am. Though that fluctuates somewhat. Like last night. She slept from 7:30 - 10 and hadn't eaten since 5ish. But she had been so overtired and fussy I wanted her to sleep. I woke her at 10 for a feeding and changed her. She fell back asleep pretty easily until 2:30am. She ate and then had a little trouble getting back to sleep. I had to get up a few times to reswaddle her and give her the pacifier. Then she woke up at 4:30 for a "snack." She doesn't usually do this and I don't want to encourage it. She was kind of awake at 6 but didn't eat until 7am this morning.

Her typical routine has been somewhat unpredictable this week as I think she's been having a growth spurt. But I worry about not having a routine when I start back to work. This morning I was just thinking about that and feeling anxious. How do I get ready for work in the morning and her while still managing to leave the house earlier to get her where she needs to be?? I know people do it...but how? I am a creature of habit and that has been one of the other hardest adjustments I have made since taking on the job of "mom."

Well...I'm off to enjoy Miss. Ellie!

Happy Friday!

smiling through the exhaustion

This picture just makes me smile! The past few days have been kind of rough to be honest. The girl had a very difficult night's sleep on friday night. So needless to say I have been going on empty and Cary and I have been trying to figure out what is different. It seems a combination of her wanting to eay more and/or having an upset stomach/gas. We took turns with her from 2am - 4:30am. Then saturday Cary stayed home with her so I could get some time out of the apartment with my sister. It was really helpful. I was so exhausted but needed to get away for a few hours. She was still fussy much of the day. Last night she slept the best she has since she came home. She was asleep by 9:30 and slept until 2:30 then slept again from 3am ish  - 6:30am. She was fussy this morning and I was beginning to feel a bit overwhelmed again but it seemed to pass. We went to the zoo as a family. It was a beautiful day. The outing was more for Cary and I than for the girl...but she seemed to enjoy the day took. I have been taking in all the advice I can get from friends on how to survive these sleepless nights....any advice is welcomed here as well!

Happy Sunday!

in love...

...with this little girl! Elizabeth ("Ellie") Adeline was born 2/12/12 at 11:20 pm. 7lbs 13 oz and 20 inches long! She just had her 1 month appt this week and she now ways 9lbs 8 oz or so and is 21.25 inches long. She has chunky little cheeks, arms and legs...and we are in love!