Stupid People Say the Darndest Things

I just finished my usual afternoon visits to some of my favorite blogs. Often times I get in some good laughs and almost always I leave with some much needed perspective. But not today. Today I read a post on Flotsom, one of my favorite blogs. Flotsam's author, Alexa, is a super kick-ass new mom who has experienced more struggles and sorrow than any heart should have to bear - and yet she has done so with an amazing sense of grace and courage I know I could never muster myself. Alexa's beautiful little daughter, Simone, is a micro-preemie and is doing her thing in a NICU. I check Flotsam every other day just to hear how she's coming along. But today in place of Alexa's usual posting about Simone's latest improvements, I read something quite disturbing. It left me feeling angry, disgusted and sad. It seems that some very STUPID people, (Alexa referred to them in her post as "Commentators from a Certain Child Free Site", but I'm going to refer to them more aptly as douche bags and dickheads) have taken aim at her and Simone. I know there are folks out there who can't stand babies or children and who think being a mother is the ultimate death sentence and they have a right to their opinions. But it makes me so angry that people would actually say such hateful things about a little innocent baby and children in general. I don't know Alexa personally, but again she handled all with grace and the razor sharp wit she used in replying to the douche bags and dickheads was outstanding. If it were me I would've just hunted them down, ripped off their heads and shit down their necks. But that's just me.

I have my work cut out for me

I apologize in advance if this post seems a little discombobulated- but I'm a little tired today. My baby, who turns 1 at the end of the month, still wakes up one to two times a night to hit the local titty bar. Normally I don't mind this behavior because he's pretty much all business about it. He goes in, gets what he wants and then promptly leaves. After a quick diaper change, he's back in his crib and settling himself back to sleep to dream sweet baby dreams. I'm usually up for less than 20 minutes. I would be happy to continue along this path until he outgrew night nursing on his own, much like my first son did. However, he needs to be completely weaned by the end of June which is when I'm taking my oldest son to visit his Nona and Papa in Colorado for a week.

So, last night when he woke up for the second time, I guess I had a wild hair up my butt or something because I decided that in fact I had had enough. No more hitting the titty bar - he was just going to have to get back to sleep on his own. Looking back on that decision now I can see just how stupid it was. After TWO HOURS of listening to him howl and going into his room repeatedly to comfort him, I finally caved and nursed him back to sleep. I crawled into bed exhausted and feeling like a complete schmuck for putting my sweet little baby (and myself) through two hours of misery. I promised on the spot that I wouldn't do that to either one of us again without a solid plan of action - a plan that I spent the remaining hours of the night thinking about (another stupid move by the way). I won't bore you with the details of said plan, and I think I have most of it figured out. The one step that induces the most anxiety is the part when I stop nursing him at night. It's completely obvious that he wakes up expecting to nurse and of course when he doesn't get to then all hell breaks loose. I know he needs to learn how to fall asleep on his own, eventually without me even entering his room, but just how I get him to that point is my main concern. He is a very stubborn and persistent baby and he definitely proved that he can cry with the best of them. I don't want to go through a week, a few nights, or even a few hours of that kind of misery again (I know - I'm such a wimp!) I know weaning usually isn't a very pleasant experience for either party and any bits of advice you have to offer will be greatly appreciated. Hopefully by the time I leave in June, he'll be snoozing through the night with nary a peep. Dreams do come true.

Would you like some tissue with your Boogers?

Boogers. For at least the last two weeks I have been up to my elbows in them. Yes it's gross, but according to our doctor it's pretty much the "norm" for February. February, it so happens, is the Month of Really Bad Colds - or at least it is in my neck of the woods. Both boys and the DH have had head/chest colds for the last two weeks, complete with copious amounts of snot and persistent coughing throughout the day and night. Consequently, I have spent the majority of my nights staggering from room to room soothing fitful children back to sleep again and again. Drippy, runny noses and cranky children have filled my days as well so it hasn't been much fun around our place to say the very least.




However, conditions are improving. The baby is back to waking only once a night and Kellen is back to sleeping through the night. DH has ceased with the constant night time throat-clearing, hacking, spitting, and coughing since his cold is clearing up as well. I finally feel clear-headed enough to peck out this feeble attempt at a posting, and life is starting to look rosier again.