...to every single parent
...to every divorced parent with sole custody
...to every military spouse who parents alone while their loved one is at war.
The baby was up, inconsolable, from midnight to two. All she wanted was mommy. We went downstairs for TV and snacks, but I couldn't get her back in her crib. So I called Cecily. On the west coast. And she graciously volunteered to leave what sounded like a fun gathering so we could link up via Gtalk video from her hotel room.
The only way the baby would go back in the crib was if I put the laptop in with her while Cecily (in full-screen mode) sung her "virtual lullabies." The image would have made one hell of a Mac commercial (hint hint, Macintosh, buy the concept). Or an ad for Google.
Finally, after 2 a.m., we slept.
And in the final surprise, Tori today refused to nap. Refused (complete with kicking and screaming). Despite the fact she was already short on sleep and had been at playgroup all morning. And with that I admitted defeat, toddler-proofed and gated-off both ends of the livingroom, and collapsed on the couch, where I collected a precious 45 minutes of sleep, while the baby watched TV. Hillbilly parenting, I know. She could have drawn all over the walls with magic marker, for all I knew. But I was done--my eyelids like two flags of surrender.
Cecily is scheduled to return late tonight. May the fates guide her safely home.
Poor Charlie, I feel for you. Neither of my boys were good sleepers. I didn't get a solid night's sleep for about 5 years. In fact, they still don't sleep well.
And as part of God's sense of humor, the less sleep they get, the more energetic and hyper they become.
I'm guessing someone is going to get a very warm welcome home. :)
Posted by: Leah | January 16, 2009 at 10:51 PM
Ah, yes, welcome to my world. And it's true, the less sleep they get the more hyper they become. What's even odder is the fact that the worse they nap, the worse they sleep at night. How can that be?
Posted by: Chickenpig | January 17, 2009 at 02:22 PM
Having spent 16 years as a single parent... Yes it can suck when you are running on empty. Yes it is Hard. Occasionally all you can do is admire the drawing on the wall and paint over it. My advice... Put away the pens and give her chalk, it cleans off much easier. Hang in there tag team parenting is almost back. The best news is mommy will have missed her baby enough that you shouldn't have a problem getting that nap!
Posted by: Kathy Napolitano | January 17, 2009 at 10:15 PM
I used to know somebody who said, "Sleep begets sleep". Something about how if they can't nap, they won't sleep, and if they do, they do.
Glad you made it through! "Hillbilly parenting"...heh.
Posted by: Celeste | January 20, 2009 at 04:37 PM