Be Careful What You Wish For

Wow, it feels like it's been a while since I've posted.  Probably because I've been so tired!  Which is fitting for today's Thoughtful Thursday post!

Have you heard the saying: "Be careful what you wish for"?

I feel pretty safe in saying almost everyone has had these little words of wisdom whispered to them at some point in their life.

I couldn't help but think of this saying, as I have been wishing, pretty much daily, for the past few months, for my sweet little boy to JUST SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT!

To be honest, the sleepless nights don't really get to me when my babies are babies. I guess I just kind of chalk it up to a requirement of motherhood. Neither of my babies slept through the night for the entire first year of their life. Ok, sorry, if we're being completely honest, my daughter DID sleep through the night for about 1 month from about just before she turned 3 months old until right before she turned 4 months old; then not again until she was about 15ish months old. I think it was her dirty little trick to make me think going back to work wouldn't be so bad. I told everyone I worked with it wasn't so hard to go back to work full-time because I had a baby that slept. Life was great! Then she said "HaHa mommy, jokes on you!" and stopped that nice little sleeping through the night bit.

My son has decided to follow in his big sister's footsteps. Only, he's now almost 17 months old and still waking at least  once per night, many nights twice. " Why is he waking?" you might ask. I. HAVE. NO. IDEA!

He wakes up screaming and refuses to go back to sleep unless being held. He will be out cold in your arms and the minute you even stand from the chair, he's squirming and fussing and carrying on.

***Oh, unless he's staying at either grandparents' house. Then he sleeps through the night like a perfect angel and my parents and in-laws think I'm lying to their face for sympathy points or something crazy like that because their precious grandson sleeps from 7:30pm to 7:30am with no problems.***

I've read many books and articles about a consistant bed time routine. The problem is not the going to sleep the first time. He goes to bed just fine. The problem is once he wakes after a few hours. Then all bets are off. I've tried using cue words, music, no music, white noise, night light, no night light, etc, etc, etc. I feel like I've tried it all. This boy just loves his cuddles.

Part of me says enjoy the cuddles. There will be a day when he doesn't want them. Then the other part of me (the working mom who needs to function during the day) says I need my sleep too!! It's been 17 MONTHS of no sleep and times up buddy! Once you turn one, mommy's patience is done.  You're past your grace period!

Anyway...back to the "Be careful what you wish for" phase.

I really cannot think of why I would need to be careful about my wishful thinking of a full night's sleep. What harm can really come of everyone in the family sleeping through the night?!

The Silver Lining

I'm sure you've heard the phrase: "Every cloud has a silver lining". Maybe you haven't heard the phrase worded exactly that way, but something along those lines.

I have heard this phrase many times. I know I've used it myself a few times.

And I couldn't help but think of this phrase after a night we had earlier this week.

Do your kids have a "witching hour"?  Mine do.

And for my son (15 months old), that time usually spans from when we get home from work/babysitter until after dinner. Sometimes it even stretches until I can get him in bed for the night!

Anyway, a few nights ago my son was especially cranky/frustrating and I was trying to quickly clean him up from dinner and just get him in bed. All of a sudden I hear my husband yell...my daughter had thrown up. I came downstairs to see a little bit of food thrown up on the kitchen table and floor. Fun. My first thought was that my daughter gagged on some food and spit it up. As my husband and I are debating this thought, my daughter let us know this was NOT the case and proceeded to release I think just about everything she had eaten all day. In her hair, on her clothes, all of the floor, and the dog. Yes, even the dog was spared no expense in this one. I'm just glad I was standing a few feet away from her at the time!

So, with a screaming son who was already over-tired and needed to go to bed, I helped strip down my daughter to get her in the shower. My son was confined to his crib (and he let me know he was not happy about it) while my husband worked to clean up the war zone in the kitchen.

Once I got my daughter showered and and in pj's, I stuck her in front of a Curious George episode and proceeded to get my son ready for bed. My husband worked to mop the floor then give the dog a bath.

Luckily, my daughter didn't get sick again, but I couldn't help but think of the phrase "Every cloud has a silver lining".

What,  you might ask, would be the silver lining in this situation?

Well, the kitchen floor got mopped and the dog got a bath...both of which hadn't happened in an embarrassingly long time.

So see, every cloud really just might have a silver lining!

　

Thoughtful Thursday:

I'm thinking of trying out a new weekly installment on the blog:


Thoughtful Thursday


Do you ever hear a statement that is truly thought provoking?
Or read a quote that is just  perfect for you or your life at the moment?

That's what these Thoughtful Thursday quotes will be about.

This week's quote is one that quite honestly, I don't remember where I saw it.  But I did, and I love it.
I even wrote it down and have kept it on a little scrap of paper in my purse.  It's one that I want to somehow incorporate into my home, either with vinyl letters on the wall, or on a plaque, or in a picture frame or something.  I'm not quite sure where, but I know I want it somewhere easily visual to remind me every day:

Please excuse the mess...

we are busy making memories.

If we had a dedicated playroom, I know it would be perfect in there!  Since we don't have a dedicated playroom in our small house (our entire house is our playroom!), I have to think of anothe place.  So, whenever I find time (or energy) to complete my dream of showcasing it somewhere in my home, I'll be sure and share it with you!