it's the night of all nights....

Here we are.

Night #2 of the own room thing.

I'm a bit more nervous tonight.

Reason #1 - he didn't take an afternoon nap. So he is asleep right now. (it's 7:21)

Reason #2 - Hmm.. I don't have a reason #2.

But anyways - I took him into his room at 7p.m. After two hours of almost torture, trying to get him to stay awake. He didn't want the bottle, and he was too tired for a bath. I rocked with him for about 5-10 minutes then laid him down.

He cried...for about 3 minutes and has been asleep ever since.

It is 3:23a.m. I just got up for the first time. I had heard him whine a little bit earlier - but he went back to sleep. At about 3:05 I went in there, since he sounded pretty awake and mad, to check his diaper and make sure everything was okay. He was fine, changed him, gave him a couple ounces of the bottle and rocked him for about 10 minutes. I laid him back down, which he was not happy about, and left.

He cried......for about a minute and a half....and is back asleep.

So...so thankful...for my no good, terribly horrible very bad day that I had. for my parents that came over and helped with his room (and my dad for knowing when I just need to sit and cry). and to my Savior, for the forgiveness that I need on a daily basis, but especially for that day. Maybe...just maybe...one of my kids will have healthy sleep issues. (I say this as Bri is asleep on the foot of my bed after waking me up at midnight with the "worst dream EVER, Mom")


Will keep ya posted....

Menu for 1/23 - 1/29

Friday

Hot Italian Chicken Sandwiches

Saturday

Coney Dogs (Down size recipe)

Sunday

Slow Cooker Chicken & Stuffing

Monday

Steak Salad Pockets

Tuesday

Burrito Pie (cut recipe)

Wednesday

Baked Potato Pizza

Thursday

Honey Lime Chicken

The grass may be greener ....

It is 8:37pm.
Noah is asleep ...

in his crib...

in his room...

And has been...

since 8p.m...

with no screaming.

I'm not sure how that all happened, and I doubt it's over for the night, but there is a God. This moment is proof. So I am going to sleep - while I can.

And I will edit this throughout the night - as the situation progresses - if I have a night to blog about.

Sweet and peaceful sleep for all...I hope.


10:06 - Noah started crying, let him cry until 10:15. I went in there, got him out of his crib (big no-no, I know. Shush). I held him for a couple minutes, tried to give him a bottle of water, he didn't want it, so I put him back down. He was quiet, almost back asleep, until he realized I was leaving, then he started screaming.

It is now 10:25. I am going to turn the monitor down, and go back to sleep. Even though I feel like a horrible, awful mom. I KNOW he just wants me though. And I can't have another day like today. So beyond tired. I need my sleep and sanity back. Dr. Quinn warned me this could take 2 hours this first night. I might go crazy, if I don't turn him down a little.

It's 10:28 and he is quiet. Not sleeping, I can hear him rustling around, but not screaming. Could he have really given up that easily????
10:30 - still not a peep.
10:33 - Well, jeez. That was to ea...(Opps, spoke to soon) LOL - there he goes again.
10:39 - It is quiet in there again. We shall see. I am going to do this. No matter what, I need to regain some of what is mine, my sleep, my space, my something. I feel very selfish but it has to happen. Today. I can NOT have another day like today. (10:41-still quiet in there) This blog - may be my only outlet, and I may only be talking to myself - but it actually does help - which is odd, but comforting. Okay, off to sleep some more......


Well, believe it or not - it is 4:21 a.m. and I just got out of bed for the first time since the last time I wrote. He woke up about 4, I waited about 5 minutes then went to check and make sure he wasn't poopy or soaking wet. I got him out (YES, I KNOW) rocked with him a few minutes, gave him a bottle of water and put him back down. Yea, me, the anti-crying it out mommy put him back in his crib, wide awake. He screamed, I shut the door. Came back to my room (to find Bri in my bed - LOL - least she knows the words "go back to sleep" and "shhh") and waited, listening on the monitor to his screaming.

However, it is now 4:27 and it is quiet in his room. And has been since about 4:23. No rustling, no crying, I think he is asleep already. The kid must have known I'd about lost it yesterday, because this has been amazing. (4:28 - still quiet) I am more awake and rested right now then I have been throughout pretty much his whole life. I've gotten the Most sleep I have gotten tonight, then through hiw WHOLE life. (4:29-still not a peep).

Back to sleep - I still have 2 hours before I have to be up for the day. Thank you to everyone praying for us, and I hope everyone else that is have a great sleep.

6am - up for the day.

Not to shabby

A beautiful Sunday

kful


I never knew real love until I gave birth to my daughter. She is amazing - in ways that I could probably never explain in a way that would give her the credit she deserves. Some days, she drives me absolutely crazy, and some days, I am so incredibly proud to be her mother there just are not words for it. Today is one of the in between days. Where she manages to drive me crazy and make me laugh all at the same time. She is a constant source of amusement and beauty in a house of chaos and plans, and we have to get here and go there and "we are late" again.

As much as a single mother can do, I try to make sure that both my children share the love and attention in this house, though it is often very obvious that she is the one that has to take the back seat t0 her brother's needs and fits, and naps. Rarely ever does she complain about that fact. Actually, she has embraced being a big sister more then I ever thought would be possible considering the 6 year difference between them.

Isn't it amazing - what God is able to create and use for His glory. Without Noah, I don't think Bri or I would have ever been as accepting, and patient, and really know how to love anyone else. Noah has opened both of our eyes in so many beautiful ways and for the God deserves the praise and glory. Noah is God's gift to a struggling single mom, and a a little girl that lived in a bubble of social insecurity. Our lives are both changed so much because of him. For the better.

I am blessed beyond measure. I am thankful for each breath I take, each morning I wake up to the faces that radiate beauty. I am BLESSED. And more then anything, I am saved, saved from eternity in hell, so that I may spend it in Heaven, with a Maker that create perfection in my children. How much luckier could one girl get?

Being a single mom comes without a lot of struggling and frustration and heartache. But in the big picture, I am just a mother. A mother that adores her babies A mother that does her best and prays for the strength to do even better.

I hope this is a blessed week for everyone. I fear for what this week will see, with the unstable political debacle about to unfold. And I know Jemimah 29:11 -

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

May peace be in your heart throughout this week.

Night 3 - and the beat goes on

Night 3 -

7:48 - down for the night

8:53 - awake - 1 ounce - lol

9:55 - awake - 4 ounces

11:01 - awake - no bottle

1:15 - awake....

It is 3:36 right now and Noah is atill awake. Since 1:15. He is eating a second whole bottle - gotten out of bed, crawled around, played, been forced in bed and screamed. Bri is awake because if it - and is mean and tired but can't/won't go back to sleep. I am exhausted and frustrated and trying to have patience and understand and remember he is a baby..... today is shaping up to be a LONG day. Since neither kid is asleep - I suspect they will both be grumpy during the day. :(

Our yummy dinners for 1/16 - 1/22

Menu

Friday

Home made Chicken strips and steak fries

Saturday

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Sunday

Baked Rigatoni w/ Italian Sausage


Monday

Alice Springs Chicken

Tuesday

Grilled Lemon Chicken

Wednesday

Ham and Cheese Stromboli

Thursday

Left Overs

Last night's fun stuff!

8:56 - night night baby

10:11 - awake - no milk

10:52 - awake - 6 ounces

12:11 - awake - 2 ounces

1:31 - awake - 3 ounces

3:05 - awake - no bottle

5:09 - awake - 6 ounces

7:30 - up for the day



He was a little better last night! Yay!!

Stay tuned - menu will be coming in a couple hours!

The Journal of the Untired - Night 1

My son is - incredible, to say the very least. He is such an amazing blessing to both myself and his sister, Bri.

However - he doesn't sleep. In fact - he doesn't ever stop moving. I suspect that we have many challenges ahead, challenges we are up for. The first step to go is to get him to sleep, in his bed, in his own room.

Right now, the own room thing isn't an option because I have an extra Queen size bed in there I need to get rid of. It will be very soon. So, we are working on the on bed thing. So every morning - I am going to post our progress - until I either die of sleep deprivation, or he sleeps close to through the night.

We will also post progress on eating, new activities and pictures! Yay pictures! As well as Bri's school things, activities, and pictures! Lastly, there will be our weekly menu and links to new recipes for anyone interested! So check back daily for new info and fun stuff!!


Last night's info -

9:21 - awake - not hungry
10:40 - awake - refuses bottle
10:56 - awake - made new bottle - took 2 ounces - awake screaming til 12:08
2:25 - awake - ate 3 ounces
3:44 - awake - ate 2 ounces
4:47 - Apparently - my nephew wanted to talk to me - called and woke us both up lol. Refused bottle.
6:48 - up for the day.