Tuesday, January 06, 2009

what did you do this morning?

I spent 2 hours trying to get my baby to take a nap.

No one tells you about these parts of parenting. When you're pregnant, people can't stop saying silly things like "Your life will never be the same." No kidding. Even someone who has NO IDEA what they're in for with parenthood knows that life after a baby must look at least a wee bit different.

But no one tells you that you'll spend hours trying to get your very sleepy baby to actually sleep - no one tells you how often very sleepy babies refuse to sleep for unknowable reasons. No one tells you that there will be days when your Big Agenda (which consists of going to Two! Whole! Stores!) may be put on hold or even nixed because of a devilish little thing called naptime.

Really, it's probably good that no one tells you that. I'd never have wanted to hear that while I was pregnant, plus I most likely would have thought "That won't be me!" No, it's better to hold onto the sweet ignorance.

But the biggest bummer about not knowing is how alone you feel when it happens. You feel like a joke of a parent, completely unfit and incompetent... until you realize that it's happened to everyone. Every parent has those days, and every parent has felt alone and incapable of completing the "simple" tasks put before them.

I guess I wouldn't have wanted to know the true, harsh reality before my sweet little Hazelnut was born... but it's a shame that it takes that much longer to realize you aren't alone.

Plans for the afternoon: Let baby sleep as long as possible... then try to go to the Two! Whole! Stores! that were on my morning agenda.

5 thoughts:

Julie said...

I think what I would have wanted someone to really explain to me was how just getting the simplest tasks done during the day could take hours because of constant interruptions. Whether it be a skipped nap, broken glass, or a gallon of milked spilled.

Kaycee said...

I am SO with you. My sweet baby decided she no longer needs to sleep at night, at all... even though, like Hazel, she is VERY TIRED.

I was up from 12:50am-4:30am a couple days ago until a very tired Madison finally passed out and started snoring (it lasted until 6:30am). I tried everything, seriously I was about to stand on my head. I totally felt incompetent, so thanks for your post - it made me feel better. :)

Now hopefully Madison will start feeling better and sleeping again too because if her Mama doesn't get some sleep soon.....

Phoenix Rising said...

yup. right there with ya...i never made it to the grocery store today...maybe tomorrow?

by the way. you're an awesome mama. never think anything different!

Wendy said...

I've been there too! Just remember you are being a good momma by throwing your plans out the window to do what is best for your little one. Sometime that is a hard choice to make --- giving up fun things, feeling accomplished, etc. But it is worth it in the end!

his wife, their mama said...

My not-so-great sleeper came in the form of baby number 3! I don't know what's worse, getting it the first time around when you have no experience knowing you can actually get your baby to sleep, or having it the third time when babies number 1 &2 were the best sleepers ever! The first six weeks he would only sleep on me, literally. Since then, he has weeks when he decides he's incapable of sleep unless attached to me in some form, other times he'll cat nap all day long! You're a great mom for loving and caring for her so much, you just want her little body to have the rest it so desperately needs. Take comfort in knowing that you are not the first, last, or only mother that struggles. You're in my thoughts and prayers!