Sleep when your baby sleeps

People always tell you that - sleep when your baby sleeps. I don't know about you, but I used to think it was just for those first few weeks, when you are stumbling about unaware of what time a day it is, or even WHAT day it is.

But 6 months later, it still holds true. I get the best sleep when I sleep when my baby sleeps.

Elinor really didn't improve on her crib sleeping habits. I was pretty tired of shuffling to the nursery 2-3 times a night, so I brought her to my bed. I resisted that for a long time despite wisdom of older mothers telling me to do it. I was worried about the battle later to get her to her own bed, my mind filled with images of a whiny 5 year old clinging to me, begging me to not leave her in her own room. But...who knows if that will happen. All I know is that I get sleep now. And it is grand.

Elinor has also entered a clingy phase of life. So her attachment to Mommy (and can you blame her? The little tiny thing lived inside my tummy for longer than she's been on the outside of it) + sleeping in the big bed (for night and most naps) = I am holding or actively caring for her upwards of 22-23 hours a day. I usually get a shower later in the day, when Aaron finishes work, or in a brief break when she will take a very short nap in her crib. It's ok, since I shower fast.

It's amazing how non-stressed it makes me, though. I don't dread bedtime - I used to start the night with optimism, but it was dashed completely by the 2nd trip to the nursery. I go to bed LOTS earlier, which is better for me. I get to watch my little sweet thing drift off to sleep right next to me. I get to watch her wake up - so sweet - her long dark lashes against her chubby little soft cheeks. Watching her expressions is like watching time-lapse photography of clouds in the sky - all sorts of emotions flicker across her face, wrinkling her brow and changing her breathing. My favorite, of course, are little lingering smiles. Those few minutes make the whole experience worthwhile.

There is much less crying in the house - no sad baby crying out for me in the middle of the night or the morning. She sometimes protests if I put her down to go do something for a few minutes, but today was better. I don't know what her little baby needs are, but I try to meet them. She is happy when she goes to sleep and happy when she wakes up. That's a good thing in my book.
  • sallyanne
    Lovely blog! I loved snuggling and co-sleeping with my babies. Before you know it, they are all grown up!
    by sallyanne at 09/18/09 12:59AM
  • bonnyswan
    awwwww...baby snuggles! you know, you slept in mom and dad's room for a while...in fact, they had a toddler bed in their room. i can't remember how old you were when they moved you upstairs.....
    by bonnyswan at 09/18/09 9:30AM
  • mjintexas
    You are a good mommy, and I'm glad you are flexible and will change plans when they need changing.
    And I love love love her little sleepy face. And I love watching her wake up happy. So precious when she smiles and grabs your face.
    Now I need to come hold her.
    by mjintexas at 09/18/09 10:21AM
  • kimsisco
    i don't think you'll regret snuggling with that sweet girl! glad things are happier at your house!
    by kimsisco at 09/18/09 10:49AM
  • meditationis
    I'm happy to hear you are sleeping better and crying less. You too, Elinor. ;-)

    I do have a serious comment/question based on one of the PSA-type commercials I saw recently, which comment/question is not meant to offend. Is co-sleeping safe? Are there dangers?
    by meditationis at 09/19/09 12:22AM
  • meditationis
    :-) Thanks!
    by meditationis at 09/19/09 9:30AM
  • stylinmama
    After 6 months of little sleep, I can definitely understand bringing her to bed with you. It's not for us (though we've never been in a situation where we've had to consider it), but that doesn't matter. I'm so glad she and you are getting more sleep. You sound much much happier. And a happy and calm mommy means a happy and calm baby. I'm thrilled you found what works for you.
    by stylinmama at 09/19/09 12:24PM
  • kiss_the_rain
    This makes me really happy :)
    by kiss_the_rain at 09/19/09 12:31PM
  • sarahinthesun
    yes, letting Grace sleep in our bed saved our lives. We could have killed each other over all the crying she was doing anyway, but bedtime was always great when she dozed off next to me. and no crying in the middle of the night! We successfully moved her to her room at 13 months. She cried a lot the first 2 nights, and it got much better after that. It was not nearly as big a deal as my mother kept telling me it would be. Glad you have some peace!
    by sarahinthesun at 09/21/09 1:34PM
  • gracie03
    I'm so glad you are so much less stressed and that things are better! I know that is a huge relief to you!
    by gracie03 at 09/21/09 2:47PM
  • tortilla
    :) That is nice!
    I love her name! :)
    I TRY to sleep IF the other 3 will let me. They usually do. They are good. BUT, you KNOW I'd be sleeping SO much more if I could! :)
    by tortilla at 09/21/09 3:32PM
  • tortilla
    She is SOOOOO sweet and cute!
    by tortilla at 09/21/09 3:33PM
  • firebolt
    I think part of it was definitely a growth spurt, but I had no milk. I was devastated. I had worried about it before the trip because I REALLY stress out when I travel, but it ended up okay.

    Thanks...I got my hair done while I was here!
    by firebolt at 09/21/09 9:48PM
  • sharon
    I just could not ever bring myself to waste away that perfectly good time that I could be doing chores! lol :)
    by sharon at 09/23/09 1:47PM
  • spike427
    ^^believe me, i am still gradually getting over the desire/idea that i need to do all my chores while baby is sleeping. she just won't sleep well by herself, so we have a new order. :) she'll be big so fast and then i'll have all the time i want!
    by spike427 at 09/23/09 2:42PM
  • kimbo79
    Thank you, Natalie.:-) I have never tried one of those pumkin spice lattes. I got a coupon for one from Target and was wondering how they taste. Sounds yummy, though. I think I am going to enjoy fall this year.
    by kimbo79 at 09/24/09 7:20PM
  • timstarr
    When Leila slept in bed with us, she'd be the only one who slept well. April and I ended up with sore backs for the next few days. We really don't do that anymore, though. There are ways to break them of dependence on sleeping with Momma and Daddy. Right now part of the bedtime routine is some snuggle time in the big bed where we read some books and/or sing some songs, but then she's sent to her bed for the night. It's really cute when we tell her that it's bedtime and she starts pleading "Want 'nuggle Momma? Want 'nuggle Daddy?" Hard to resist... :)
    by timstarr at 09/25/09 1:18PM
  • christina
    What a happy post! I'm glad you have found something that works for you and your family!
    by christina at 09/28/09 10:42AM
  • mjintexas
    In case A didn't tell you, I have bebe-in-a-basket as a desktop background. It makes me need to hold her everytime I see it!
    by mjintexas at 09/28/09 5:09PM
  • caraboo
    i just clicked on your blog from the pregnancy group and this made me tear up! just last night i laid down with Bodhi next to me in bed and he was still awake (which hasn't happened a lot yet). i just laid there, knowing i needed to get to sleep, entranced in his face. watching him alert, then snuggle next to me with his eyelids getting heavy, then finally in a deep sleep, is one of my favorite times with him. they really are too precious, aren't they?
    by caraboo at 10/06/09 5:09PM

A Bloggy Break

So...I'm busy. I don't have time to keep up on here like I used to. I don't want to fritter away the tiny baby moments killing time on the interwebs. Not falling off the face of the planet just yet but revamping online communication. The new version of Pleonast will take getting used to anyway, and I just don't have the time. I'm also on Facebook!
  • runforrest
    Elinor is sooooooooo cute:) She really looks like a Holladay!
    by runforrest at 05/04/09 3:59PM
  • littlelamb
    I laughed at your post below- dressing the baby is the very last thing we do before we walk out the door. :)

    Enjoy your baby! She'll be big too soon!
    by littlelamb at 05/04/09 11:23PM
  • ladidodd
    happy mothers day!! :)
    by ladidodd at 05/10/09 3:39PM
  • flyonthewall
    Happy Mother's Day!!
    by flyonthewall at 05/10/09 7:25PM
  • kiss_the_rain
    Make sure you still post pictures for us :-)
    by kiss_the_rain at 05/14/09 9:36AM
  • 23_bravo_7
    Yep being a mother is a full time job. When we babysit our little niece it is a remeinder of times past. Oh yes, in the words of your MIL, "The baby's nap is not for the baby, it is for the mother".
    by 23_bravo_7 at 05/17/09 12:58PM

Happy Friday!

This is just to replace the now year-old public post. No ice days this year so far! Wheee!

TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY CLOSED 1-17

After saying it would open at 9 a.m., then 12 p.m., they finally looked outside and said, Hey, you know what? This place is covered in ice! We can't have people sliding around!

Thank goodness. I didn't know WHAT they were thinking when they said school would start up at noon, considering it's not supposed to get above freezing today, and I have 9 inch icicles hanging off of my roof!!
  • littlelamb
    Wow. It's freezing here, but there's nothing to freeze.
    by littlelamb at 01/17/07 2:38PM
  • missysnapp
    Yeah, my 2-yr-old is a crack-up, but I'm not sure I can raise him successfully! I hope he loses the desire to be nude as the months pass.
    by missysnapp at 01/22/07 12:33PM
  • arsenal
    Journalism? GREAT! Just hope your have a conservative bias. Just kidding. "Just the facts, Ma'am". A line form a old police show. I majored in Communication (Speech) where I learned I could be opinionated and get away with it. ha
    by arsenal at 02/04/07 11:20AM
  • sobern90
    What is a "Blueprint Tattoo"?
    by sobern90 at 02/16/07 6:46PM
  • DessertDiva
    Thanks!
    by DessertDiva at 03/08/07 9:29PM
  • pogwolly0613
    Howdy, Natalie! Weather in the Brazos Valley is so funny. When the Actual Aggie and I got married we lived out at Snook, and whenever the weather would be bad in B/CS, we'd be high and dry out in the little town.
    by pogwolly0613 at 03/27/07 2:47PM
  • aarcraft
    Thanks for the well wishes. How are you doing?
    by aarcraft at 03/27/07 9:52PM
  • sponjen
    yes! i think i know you from tx camp:) I was also there at the same time as you, class of 97 as well:)
    by sponjen at 03/28/07 12:28PM
  • notcool
    weird. I'll have to ask my mom what her first name was. We were in Spring Branch at the time. It was probably her.
    by notcool at 04/03/07 1:52PM
  • totallyrandom
    That's a beautiful quilt! I hope mine turns out that well! :)
    by totallyrandom at 04/04/07 12:44PM
  • crazy_mama
    Thanks! Do you I know you?!
    by crazy_mama at 06/22/07 6:17PM
  • crazy_mama
    I didn't mean to sound like I thought you were stalking me! I couldn't figure out who you were and I know some people on here are alittle more discreet than others so I thought maybe I knew you and just couldn't figure out who you are. It seems that everyone has met my husband before!! He did alot of stuff while at FC so I'm not surpirsed that you've met him. Thanks for the compliments on my girls! They are sweethearts! We think they are beautiful too but we are more focused on making them beautiful on the inside too!
    by crazy_mama at 06/22/07 11:05PM
  • crazy_mama
    Well thanks! We do try so hard. Noelani is blessed with a super sweet heart that wants to do what is right. Hopefully Maleia's will be the same. She is SO easy going I can't imagine her having a hard heart but we shall see won't we! One of our biggest blessings is that my husband and I have never had a disagreement about disciplining which is pretty big. We really have similar parenting styles so that makes it easy to do it as a team.
    by crazy_mama at 06/26/07 11:35AM
  • crazy_mama
    I really hate when stuff like that happens. You feel so stupid!
    by crazy_mama at 06/30/07 12:46AM
  • tgatzajr
    Glad you got to come to the wedding. I haven't got a clue if we met. I shook a lot hands and was told a lot of names. If I didn't meet you, well HI!. If I did meet you, well, HI! If you are ever bored, stop by my blog page....you may learn why Jenna's the way she is! ;-)
    by tgatzajr at 07/17/07 12:42PM
  • dewswife
    Thank You for being a wonderful Pleo-Pal! It's nice to meet You!
    by dewswife at 07/30/07 11:27AM
  • luvbnamom
    Thanks for the pleo welcome (I know, I am very late in saying thanks!) You said to prepare to be addicted,and sadly, after just a couple months, I am hopelessly addicted! :-)
    by luvbnamom at 09/29/07 1:08AM
  • amandarenee
    Can you add me to your buddy list? lol...i feel so left out. ha
    by amandarenee at 02/18/08 12:41AM
  • naturesensei
    Don't you wear glasses?
    by naturesensei at 04/16/08 11:13AM

ATTENTION A&M STUDENTS

TAMU is CLOSED Tuesday, January 16th.

Stay indoors and stay safe!
  • letenele
    I have the next three days off. I'll definately stay indoors.
    by letenele at 01/15/07 4:38PM
  • ashley
    too bad i don't go to a&m anymore. but! if a&m is closed you would think that college station isd would close... i'm keeping my fingers crossed
    by ashley at 01/15/07 4:50PM
  • sarahphim
    YAY! Another holiday for you! I can't wait to read about all the relaxing things you will do. :)
    by sarahphim at 01/15/07 4:52PM
  • spike427
    i know! i feel like i've had more days off than days worked so far this year. ;-)
    by spike427 at 01/15/07 4:55PM
  • jdickens
    WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT
    by jdickens at 01/15/07 5:14PM
  • jdickens
    They SO did NOT close a single day i was in school there. BUST. now i want to call my boss b/c i don't want to drive in tomorrow if it'll be icy!!
    by jdickens at 01/15/07 5:15PM
  • jdickens
    so is that seriously it? closing for ice? b/c if so, i'm soo abotu to call my boss
    by jdickens at 01/15/07 5:24PM
  • mjintexas
    I want a day off. But we've already spoken about that.
    by mjintexas at 01/15/07 5:25PM
  • aggiemeg
    oh good, I'm glad you found out in enough time to get to sleep late!
    by aggiemeg at 01/15/07 6:18PM
  • sharon
    Will do.
    by sharon at 01/15/07 6:21PM
  • thebeatles08
    LUCKY
    by thebeatles08 at 01/15/07 9:25PM
  • meditationis
    Re below: When one of the first things on the agenda is to take a nap, you know it is going to be a good Saturday.
    by meditationis at 01/15/07 9:42PM