Her Father’s Child: She Already Has To Prove Me Wrong

Posted By jayna on September 2, 2010

After writing this post, shutting down the computer and crawling into bed, I fully expected to be woken within the hour. The same way I was every. single. night.

Hours later, I found myself staring at the clock in disbelief. Had she really? It couldn’t be. There was no way.

That little stinker slept for five straight hours.

Obviously, she had to prove me wrong.

I could give all the credit to her . . . but that wouldn’t be any fun. No. Instead, I’m going to claim this one, assuming it was all thanks to the bright idea I had the day before. The bright idea that left me scouring Craigslist and sending countless emails in search of a toddler bed.

I had had a theory that it wasn’t so much the sleeping with us that kept her out of her crib, but that it was a pure hatred of the horrid thing. She would sleep by herself in our bed all day if we let her, so long as she could lay sideways across the top. In fact, it was all the better to her – the less people in bed, the more room she had (and the fewer faces to kick). I began to wonder if we could instill the same sort of love for a bed with one of her own.

So, there we were, dismantling the crib, rearranging the room and fluffing the pillows on a new-to-us toddler bed. Up she crawled, running over and flopping down on the pillow.

She knew.

This was all hers.

Still, we weren’t brave enough to try bedtime in it from the start, so after she was sound asleep in our bed, the stealthy transfer was carried out. In she snuggled as we waited. No crying, no waking, no big deal.

Hours, people.

These have been the most glorious three nights of my life.

FIVE hours in a row.

And, now I’m about to a) jinx it by talking about it and b) really screw it up by taking her on two vacations in the next three weeks.

But still, these three days have been wonderful.

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Wordless Wednesday: The Little One Is Going To Be Trouble

Posted By jayna on August 31, 2010

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Oh Sleep, How I Miss You!

Posted By jayna on August 30, 2010

Two years ago, when I was still in that happy state of joyous shock that comes with a pregnancy immediately following a miscarriage, I would have scoffed at any possible negatives that could come with my second child. It was sunshine! And rainbows! Yay!

Even after months of never ending sickness, heartburn, nerve pain and every other pregnancy ailment, I still wouldn’t have believed it would be tough.

I’m tough. I’ve got this. One was a piece of cake, how hard could two be?

MJ burst onto the scene and flipped our worlds upside down. More demanding than E ever was, she quickly taught us that life was going to revolve around her. Baby’s way or no way. Which, as a newborn, is totally acceptable. Expected, even. In those first few months, I clung to my naivety and firmly believed that it was going to get better. It had to.

The months rolled by. Every once in a while, I complained. On here, to the husband, to the grandparents, to anyone else that would listen. Well meaning strangers would ask, and offer up their solutions to fix my problems. The months kept rolling by and finally, I lost my rose colored glasses and realized that – holy hell – this. is. hard.

I have not slept longer than 3 hours in a row in 16 months.

My child – my lovely, adorable, second child – does not sleep all night. Or even part of the night. She fusses, she cries, she sits up and is wide awake. Like clockwork. Every. Single. Night. It doesn’t matter what we try, who puts her to sleep, how long we let her fuss, how full her stomach is, how many pacifiers/stuffies/blankets she has . . . the kid simply needs to be physically put back to sleep by us every time. I’m too soft hearted to listen to her sob uncontrollably to the point of vomiting (as she did the one time we let her cry it out for 15 minutes) and I’m a puddle of unresolve when it comes weaning her (this is me shamefully admitting to being a complete pushover and still allowing that middle of the night session).

Sixteen months.

I am exhausted.

And I now would like to go back and kick that naive version of myself in the pants and tell her to get some damn sleep while she still could.

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Lazy Sunday: Nimble And Quick

Posted By jayna on August 29, 2010

Still got a few years before trying out for hurdles. Why not practice on a baby sister, eh?

*no red-headed toddlers were harmed in the making of this photo. blond-haired preschoolers . . . that’s another matter*

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Fundamental Lessons: Stay Away From Boys

Posted By jayna on August 25, 2010

While I was away at my mom’s house the last two weeks, I decided to just go ahead and be all “Meh” when it came to the blog. I’m ridiculously spoiled with our Fios internet and my beloved iMac here at home and generally spend the majority of all computer sessions there banging my head against the desk as I crash the poor computer again.

The week long lapses are enough to show that “Meh” was taken in full context.

Since I’ve been home (all of two days, but still) I’ve found that the “Meh” was still lingering.

“I’m boring.” I thought. “There’s is nothing interesting I have to say,” I lamented. “All I ever do is post pictures anymore,” I complained.

And then my kid went and got assaulted at the playplace tonight.

Helloooo, something-to-write-about!

I mean, obviously that is the first thing I found myself thinking as I cradled a bloody-mouthed MJ in my arms, rushing through JCPenny’s to the bathroom.

Actually, no, it was a little later, once the gushing blood had subsided. And the crying had stopped. I’m not quite that . . . absorbed. Usually.

**************************

Our little family headed out this evening to the local mall, in search of a phone case for me, food for the husband and some burnt energy for the girls. As soon as we got there, I kissed the husband and left him at the soft play to wrangle while I shopped. Apparently, that was the kiss of doom.

As I headed back in the direction of the soft play, I stopped at one last kiosk. The price was right and the perfect cases were beckoning me and my wallet. But, before I even got so far as narrowing down my choices, that super-spidey-mom-sense kicked in. I told the haggling vendor I’d be back later and walked away.

Just as the husband came into view, I heard the familiar sound of hysterical toddler crying. My toddler. Unmistakably mine. I watched as the husband picked up a sobbing MJ, who kept shaking her head and burying it in his chest. Panic was written all over his face and E was hovering, concerned.

I swooped in and scooped her out of his arms as only a Mama can and he hurriedly told me that she had been bitten by another little boy. My stomach flipped. He said he thought the little boy was going to give her a kiss, but opened up and took a big bite instead. My stomach flopped. She screamed, showing a mouth full of blood. My stomach flipped and flopped and tunnel vision kicked in. I told him I was taking her to the bathroom and to stay there with E, we’d be back, and bolted though the aisles of Penny’s.

In the bathroom . . . oh, the blood . . . paper towel after paper towel, until finally it slowed. I stood there for what felt like hours, but it was only minutes. Her crying turned into hiccups as she nursed a bit. As we sat, the anger started. With only half the story, my mind filled in the rest . . . I don’t let other kids touch her . . . it’s not okay for others to kiss her . . . what was he thinking . . . why would he let that little boy that close . . . wasn’t he watching her . . .

The mind is a judgmental thing when unleashed.

The two of us calm, we walked back out to the play place and met a very worried E and the husband. The full story was told, quashing all that anger and blame. The husband was going to get her and stop the little boy, but wasn’t quick enough. The alleged kiss did turn into a full on bite, leaving broken skin and bite marks on both the inside and outside of the side of her mouth. The kid’s dad did apologize, scolded and then got the heck outta dodge.

I’m still not done processing the whole thing.

It’s amazing how something like a little bite can leave the feeling of being violated. I’m guessing I wouldn’t be quite as worked up about it had there not been mouth to mouth contact with broken skin. But, there was. And I may be the most paranoid mother in the whole world, but I’m going to worry. A lot.

I’m also going to cuddle this sweet little girly. A lot.

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