I need a vacation

[bronwynrh]

Samuel has become... difficult, lately. Yes, that's it. Difficult. I think maybe Isabella has sent her No-Sleep Juju down to our house :-( Whereas he used to whimper and whine himself to sleep - or just play quietly until he dropped off to Lala Land, now he screams. He screws himself up and screams through a nearly closed throat so instead of the high-pitched sounds we're used to, we get this pained and desperate, angry sound.

And this only happens when it's bedtime.

Bedtime used to come later, between 8 and 9, but then I read some definitive tome on infant sleep which directed me to bed baby down between 6 and 8. So, we begin the routine at 6 and he's in bed by 7. That worked like a charm for a few weeks, but now it's all gone to crap and I don't know why.

So we're exhausted and frustrated and whereas we're trying our damnedest to ignore him, one of us always gives in. Or make the mistake of thinking he's sound asleep when he's not, or make the further mistake of thinking the other one woke him up so it's ok to interact with him... oh my god. And he's not doing well with our morning routine, either, making much of my home time with him just a blur of desperate and exhausted, rushed hours.

And then I come to work, where my promotion seems to have kicked in before the pay raise. There's a new company - Technologies instead of Laboratories - and it's going to "contract" me out or some such confusing thing, and in spite of what our VP told me, it looks like I'm going to be working for someone instead of with them. Or, rather, the VP is right but this other person hasn't read the memo.

At any rate, new relationships are still being figured out, new responsibilities are still being delegated, and it looks as though I'll be sitting through many, many more meetings. Because meetings are where things get done. Right.

Don't mind me, I shouldn't be complaining about a promotion. I just need a vacation.

And for my kid to remember how to sleep.

Comments

[tonya.livejournal.com]

Blah, things aren't improving much here. We have a bad night, then a pretty good night, then another bad night... I home someday there are more good ones than bad!

I know that scream you're talking about... Isabella has mastered it!

[tonya.livejournal.com]

hope, not home

[bramey.livejournal.com]

The other night, he slept straight through and I thought, "ah hah! Victory!"

Stupid, stupid optimistic me.

He's punished us every night since then.

And what is up with that scream? I'd rather have my eardrums pierced than have my guts twisted in knots... ugh!

[tonya.livejournal.com]

Bella's been practicing that cry for months. She does it when I leave the room mostly. It's like, "OMG, my mom left and she's NEVER COMING BACK WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH." It was funny at first, but now it's like chill out kid!

[bramey.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the charm wore off pretty quickly.

It was a nice touch when he added the, "mama! Mama!" to the repertoire, too. Manipulative little toot.

[tonya.livejournal.com]

Bella's not saying mama yet thankfully!

[mysterygal11.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it sucks... I have given up even trying to put Sam to bed until he's completely zonked out on the floor. Otherwise, he screams as if someone is trying to hurt him. Last night and the night before, he wasn't in his crib until midnight. However, he was so tired that he did sleep straight through until 6:30 a.m. So...success?

[adaon.livejournal.com]

And people telling me that I should adopt! Hmmm, maybe not!

He's saying 'mama' already? Cripes, how old is this kid now? It seems like he's only a year old. But I have absolutely zero knowledge of when kids start doing anything at all. I'm still in shock that you're married and a mother!

[bramey.livejournal.com]

He's 8 and a half months old, actually. He babbles, but I think he's figuring out that I'm mama, specifically... he still says mama to everything else too, though.

He's right on top of everything on the list in What to Expect, The First Year. "By eight months, baby should be able to... may be able to... may even be able to..." He's got all those down, except for waving bye-bye. He waved for two days, but hasn't done it again since.

But I'm his mommy, so I say he accomplished that milestone :-D
My little genius athlete boy.

I think you should adopt, definitely. You'd make a good father.

[(Anonymous)]

No, I wouldn't!

I am reminded of Mr. Burns, when Maggie Simpsons grabs on to his leg. He shakes his leg furiously, yelling "Get it off me! Get it off me!"

That is pretty much how I feel. I'd rock as an uncle though. ;-)

[bramey.livejournal.com]

Yeah, you're right. If you didn't have that squick response, you'd make a great dad. With it, though, you need the ability to "give it back".

So Uncle Dallas it is, then.

[dragonfligh.livejournal.com]

As I'm several months behind you, I have no advice. Just this: {{{huggles}}} and a thanks for giving me a sneak preview! =D

[histygirl.livejournal.com]

I've got no advice -- just empathy.

Aren't they lucky they're so cute?

[kendokamel.livejournal.com]

*hugs*

[scorpbeotch.livejournal.com]

Kadison went through about 5 months of this shit. All of her teeth came in, one after the other. She had them ALL by the time she was a year old. You don't need that crap. You need to sleep.

Yucky

[bramey.livejournal.com]

We'll have one good night, followed by a string of not-so-good nights, punctuated with an OMYGODMAKEITSTOP night.

Last night was a not-so-good night.

*YAWN*