Friday, March 28, 2008

Defense Mechanism

We are (I pray) on the downside of one of those 24 hour growth spurts - the one's where he'll only sleep out of arms for a maximum of 40 minutes and cosleeping won't cut it (not that I can actually sleep while doing that either). My scalp hurts - I am sleep deprived enough that my scalp hurts. At least he's been very happy - when he's not nursing he just looks up at me and coos and giggles, honest to goodness giggles. Once I get some food in me, I get a surge of the warm fuzzy hormones and forget why I can't see straight - not enough to want another baby, but enough that I'm not pleading with him in my mind to just please for the love of God just sleep.

Oh and if you are friends or the parent of someone who is nursing and going through the special sleep deprivation hell that is a growth spurt, please do not suggest that the husband take a stint with the baby - pretty much negates the whole purpose of a growth spurt in a breastfed baby. Seeing as Alex is pushing 10 weeks and we've been through this several times now, my mom nursed my youngest sister, *and* (this is the clincher) I've told her that growth spurt time is not the time to have John give him a bottle of pumped milk so I can sleep, my mother still persists in suggesting it. Oh, you're trying to quit smoking - here's a pack of cigarettes to get you through your nicotine withdrawal. Please just nod your head and say, "I'm so sorry - I'll bring you over some (insert baked good)." Just a wee bit pissed and I think I'm going to have to remind her to actually listen to what I say and I don't need her to fix it, I just need her to give me a verbal or better yet make the damn time to drive the 15 minutes to give me a real-life hug.

Stridor from the bedroom beckons - if he isn't awake then I really should be asleep. I let him pass out after only one side so I'm sure he'll wake as soon as I fall asleep again, but I am a weak woman.

'night all...