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Tuesday, May 06, 2008I Need A Refresher Course
  Okay, somebody help me out here. Somebody with lots of experience with breathtakingly cute babies. I've done this baby thing before. So far, it's been dandy. Beyond dandy, actually. Because every waking moment that I spend with Molly is a blessing beyond my wildest imaginings. And I really do mean that. Except there are more "waking moments" now. And I'm running out of ideas. Let me explain. Molly's always been on a wonderful schedule (thank you, Babywise!). Morning nap at 9, afternoon nap at 1. And for the longest time, she hung onto her third nap. It used to be a 5 to 7 nap. What perfect timing! Plenty of time to make and eat dinner before having to get her up for her 7:00 nursing. Gradually, she was able to stay awake longer after her afternoon nap, so I began to put her down around 6:00 for this final "mini-nap," which could range anywhere from fifteen minutes to one full, blissful hour. Well, it's history. I knew the time would come. Molly is, after all, eight months old now, and most eight month old babies do perfectly fine on two naps a day. And truly, she does do "perfectly fine." It's her mama that isn't doing "perfectly fine." Because, simply, I don't know what to do with her. Do I sound like a clueless mama or what? Yet this 3:00-to-bedtime stretch has me catatonic by the time my own bedtime rolls around. Take today. We wake up a little before three. We come with Mommy when she drives the girls to ballet. We stop at the grocery market on the way home while Mommy buys a couple loaves of bread (we like that; grocery stores are endlessly interesting). We come home. We eat peas and applesauce, and we nurse with gusto. We go into our pack-and-play and do just fine until, halfway through our time, we fall over and get upset. Mommy rescues us and we go upstairs to play together in the nursery. And it's only 4:30. So Mommy brings laundry into the nursery to fold it while she watches you play. She brings you with her while she runs upstairs to check her email. She practically yells with glee when Spencer offers to play with you for a while so that she can finish making the salmon salad. She grabs your blankie and snuggles with you for a while. She thwaps you into your highchair with a few toys while she finishes getting dinner on the table. She realizes that allowing you to yell during a meal isn't too cool, so she puts you into your crib with your blankie for a little bit of down time while she tries to finish eating. You are not happy. And this is the way it goes, and something must change! And since Molly is already practically perfect (a la Mary Poppins), that "something" must be me. "Something" as in, throwing dinner into the crockpot in the morning so that I don't have to worry about cooking when Molly needs me. "Something" as in pulling out the safety gates and creating some "safe spaces" for Molly to explore. "Something" as in going to bed at 9:00 so I don't poop out during the long stretch. "Something" as in giving myself grace as I readjust to this extremely active baby phase. Because Molly is not a "lap baby"! She's a climbing, crawling, wiggling, reaching, standing, rolling, moving at lightning speed baby. And. Her. Mama. Is. Over. 40. And I just need a little help here. What can I "do" with my baby when her older sisters aren't home to entertain her? How can I create a "safe space" in a downstairs with doorways that are way too wide to accommodate a safety gate? How many walks-with-a-stroller can one woman take in a day? I'll tell you what, though. I am thoroughly, completely, irrevocably delighted that I get to go through this one more time. It's by far the best thing that could've happened to me; it's by far the best thing I could be asking for help with. (Is it me, or did I sound like Sydney Carton just then?) So I'm all ears. Tell me, sweet mamas -- what should I do with my baby? Though for tonight, at least, I've solved it. I handed her to Daddy and came upstairs to write this. Funny, though. I can hear them playing downstairs, and I'm aching to be with her. So I think I'll just sneak down there and hang out with them for a little bit. Crazy? Yep. I am crazy in love with this little girl. Absolutely crazy. She's worth every "waking minute" it takes. Labels: baby |
About Me
I am: Mother to five stunningly individualistic children... Writer of young adult fantasy... Passionate advocate for Women At Home... Madly in love with my husband... In need of Organic Gourmet Chocolate on a regular basis. I've got a Paypal account if you'd like to contribute to the cause....
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12of my readers are feeling chatty:
I'm sorry, my youngest is now 3 years old and, as many other mommies before me, I have baby amnesia.
I will say that she is ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS!!!! And I'm sure it will all come back to you soon. Good Luck!
A big old TV box should do the trick.
I'm hopping on over to visit you from HAH:) I'm feeling your pain. My DDs are 21 months and 3 years, but I do remember those days.
When both of my girls were infants, the library became our best friend. Our local library offered a program called BabyTime. The weekly program was FREE (an additional blessing)and featured songs and physical activities for infants. I loved it there and got to know other moms with little ones like me. Since they were "in the trenches" like me, they had lots of great advice to offer.
Best wishes:)
Because I know this will be oh so helpful to you, I think you should get some of those Baby Einstein videos.
Love you Jill :)
(from H@H)
I used to have Daniel's older sisters help while I cooked dinner. I know that's not very helpful to you. Sorry.
Well I have the advantage of a baby that sits in one place =P !
But I also loves Holly's jumperoo, and she loves it too. She can jump to hearts content, I switch her between that and the pak and play at cooking time. But inyour case I think I would try the baby gated/fenced safe place to play.
How about piling up lots of pillows around her for her to climb on and land softly. Couch cusions and everything.
Let me preface this by saying that I by no means feel as if I know everything :o) But seeing as I have had six little ones in eight years, I'll tell you what we do around here, or what I would try in your situation.
1. Possibly moving her second nap a little later, if that's something you would want to do. It wouldn't really give you more time (although she may be more tired and sleep a little longer), but it may alter the structure of your day in a way that is more restful for you and allows you to get more done.
2. It sounds as if you're already doing this in a modified way, but you could have different areas set up that you rotate her through. Pack n play, exersaucer, high chair by the window, jumperoo, etc.
3. Our house is set up in a way that doesn't allow for baby gates either. So we "blanket train" our children. This is very helpful outside of the home sometimes as well. It also a lifesaver in homeschooling. It might be a total turnoff for you, but our kids have all done very well with it. You can google it. I will say that it allows for creativity and learning to play happily within boundaries. It does not create a miserable, bored child.
Debbie's comments definitely sound good, our little sweeties have all loved their exersaucers and jumperoos. And anytime you can change their enviornment even in a small way (pillows on the ground, getting out the tupperware, letting them play in a bathtub with toys without water, etc., is usually loads of fun and serves to occupy them for awhile. Then, of course, there's the old big brother/big sister playtime! Around a break from school to play with the baby is always welcome. :o)
I have started blocking off the kitchen and stairs and just letting my A go where ever his little heart desires. Luckily he can be entertained for 20 minutes watching the door to the entertainment center open and close.
Wow, thank you all! I feel...loved. Supported. Hopeful.
(Hungry for chocolate. Any offers...?)
Jen -- Thank you. :) We tend to agree, but parents are blinded and hopelessly subjective, so...
Dave -- Do you have a box for me?
Love3C -- LOL!! Slap! Slap! Slap! Love you, too. :)
Andrea -- I am definitely the odd one out, since I hate libraries and library "stuff." How sad is that? Especially since I'm a writer!! I just can't stand those slimy, smelly, sticky children's books...
Linda -- The girls are helpful when they're here, but on Tuesdays and Thursdays they are at ballet during this long stretch, and those are my challenging days.
Debbie -- LOL! And mine won't sit for more than 5 seconds, even though she CAN. Maybe I could install a baby swing on the kitchen ceiling.... :P
Shyla -- Girl, you're awesome! I am totally interested in blanket training, and had already been considering it (I have a whole "play station" planned for the kitchen, and it definitely includes sitting -- and staying -- on a blanket). All I can find online so far, though, is a bunch of discussions about it, rather than the actual "this is how you approach it." I may need your help!
Anyway, THANK YOU SO MUCH for your wonderful advice!
Steph -- LOL Isn't it funny what they obsess over? Molly will play with a tag for a good 15 minutes. The tag on her Boppy, the tag on a soft toy, the tag on a piece of clothing -- if it has a tag, Molly will find it and chew on it. Perhaps she is part puppy. :)
Hi 5 sweeties,
At our house, we call it the "happy hour". In case you didn't sense it, that name is filled with sarcasm! Late afternoon has alwasys been a hard time for my son, even now, and he's six!
We used "change of venue" a lot! In the high chair with a few toys or a snack, in the living room with toys and big brother (babyproofed with the ottoman blocking the doorway), in the walker with toys (we popped the wheels off so they can't go anywhere, but can stand) , on the kitchen floor with a wooden spoon and big plastic bowl, the jumperoo.
One thing that I still do almost daily while trying to make dinner is pop in a CD of fun kids music. I have collected a variety, so mommy doesn't get annoyed! (Try TJ McCloud's Playground and Shine! two of my faves!) The kids sit and listen, eat a little snack and play with toys or get up and dance around. When my daughter was younger, she'd be in the high chair in the kitchen with me, and the music would keep her happy, or at least distracted!
My kids also love to have books read to them - they last for hours! Even if Molly can't sit still very long, you could try reading one book at a time, just talking about the pictures.
Just think, soon it will be summer and there are a whole lot of new outside things to introduce Molly to (unless you live in a warm climate and are doing those already).
You'll figure it out! Just keep trying different things until it works!
Methinks perhaps you and I should take the small-ones to the park for a picnic! :o)
She is so gorgeous! I miss you all!
(((((((((Nicole))))))))))
We miss you, too!!!
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