We semi-pack on Sunday thus have to do lots of actual packing Monday morning when we are driving down to Iowa. We don't leave until like 9:45, but it's ok because PJ sleeps for 2 hours (the only perk of her being sick). We stop and have lunch, she nurses and we are back on the road for the last 2 hours. She is not happy to be back in the car seat. She deals but ends up staring at me, half sad, maybe half sick, but very intense. I kind of do not know what to do with a stare like this, and I continue to fret about what she's going to be like on the 7 hour trip to St. Louis.
PJ has not been sleeping in her crib at home for months now. She sleeps on our bed with bed rails or with us in it. There I said it, judge if you will. But when visiting, we are not going to bring the bedrails, so this trip is going to be a bit of a crash course in crib sleeping for the baby. Monday and Tuesday night, I am at a parenting low. She only wants to sleep on my chest or next to me, yet I long to go read webpages or make brownies, basically anything other than go to bed at 6:30pm. We finally figure out that she will stay asleep on her own on her belly and understands being asked to lay down in a gentle voice. Wednesday morning though, she awakens burning up. We call our clinic, talk to the nurse on triage, and wait. Shannon calls our insurance and finds clinics we can go to her. With my history of ear infections and PJ's fever, we make an appointment with the full support of PJ's doctor and the triage nurse. At a nice clinic in Altoona, we discover her double ear infection, PJ's first. I curse my genes and we fill her antibiotics prescription. We start the rounds of pain killers and that thick bubblegum pink amoxicillian. Which PJ spits out mostly with much thrashing about.
One of our plans was for her to get a haircut while we are here by Shannon's Aunt Monica, the professional. The earache delayed our plans, but we didn't let them ruin them. Behold, I give you baby's first haircut:
You can see that her hair was kind of out of control. For the majority of the haircut, she was serious and watching herself in the mirror.
She played with combs and clips. But then we got a little interrupted by other clients and she kind of lost it. We held her head a bit to get the bangs straight, but I think Monica would have gone even shorter with the pixie cut if allowed. I think it looks great though, but also makes her look older to me.
I can't even believe this week is over. With the sickness and sleeping in a crib, it flew by. Marlys created a play space at the far end of the living room that PJ adores. Despite being sick, PJ has still been mostly smiley and loving, playing peekaboo and crawling around getting into as much as she can. Marlys also got her some fridge magnets that she is totally digging. PJ loves rocking chairs and Marlys has Virginia's in that play area. It's very cool that she's sitting on her great-grandma's rocking chair.
We've got Marlys' family christmas Saturday and Mark's on Sunday. We plan on driving down to St. Louis Sunday night, but only if the weather cooperates. I hope PJ keeps getting better and keeps being able to sleep in the cribs we have for her. I hope to find a little time to myself every day. I know I am loving having time with Shannon, but it's kind of weird being at our families for the holidays because with a kid there is little down time. Before holidays were lazy and food-filled. Now it's that but also kid duty. I think December with the early dark nights has proved to be harder than I imagined. Or maybe I'm just having a bit of down period. I am going to think about what might help, like going to sleep earlier or taking a day off work but keeping PJ in daycare. I'm not sure, but tis the season for reflection.
2 comments:
henry has slept in bed with us every night since he was born. he just felt so far away when he was in his crib or bassinet. i think cosleeping is the natural, right thing to do. nowhere else in nature do you see baby animals being forced to sleep on their own. they'd get eaten!
if it makes you feel any better, i've gone to bed with H every night since he was about 6 months old (and learned how to crawl off the side of the bed). sometimes it kind of sucks, but at least i get a lot of knitting done ;). hope PJ is all better. merry christmas!
We sleep with little e too. he starts in his crib and then moves to our bed when we come to it. Can't afford bed rails yet.
i don't tell everyone about this, but i love it am am so happy jen and i are on the same page about it. I especially like it because I like the time i get to spend with him. Since i work all day, it's part of our time together.
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