One Rough Night

Everyone,

I have had probably the roughest night yet. I think I got about 2 hours total. Not 2 hours together. As I got into bed (late...need to go to bed earlier!), I fed both boys and Professor dropped off like magic. Juice wrapped him up and I proceeded to feed Pirate between his huge smiles. It was cute the first 15 times or so. But as 1am approached, it was time to stop. So I just flipped off the light, laid down and fell promptly asleep with him nursing/smiling away.

About 45 minutes later, Professor woke up screaming because he is alone! Again! Where is my mommy?!?! I put Pirate down in his bassinet, picked up Professor and fed him back to sleep. Just as I was starting to drift off, Pirate (who I must say was unceremoniously dumped in his bed...I was shaky and dazed by the jolting awake) was unhappy at being alone and started to fuss. I don't say cry because he rarely does this. He just fusses. I listened to the fuss as I rocked Professor into a deep sleep, gently laid him down, tucked him in, and soothed him back to sleep.

So I pick up Pirate and nurse him back down for about 10 minutes. In that time, I listened to Professor ramp himself back up to screaming. I put Pirate down a little nicer this time, and he stayed asleep. (With his arms over his head...so cute!) I poked Juice and got him to change Professor's diaper. I immediately went to sleep while he changed, and woke up about 2 minutes later when I was handed a very unhappy little boy. Some snuggle time, some nursing, and some rocking later and he was asleep. As soon as he was asleep, I glanced at the clock. 3:13 am. Great. Now I can sleep.

I did not put Professor down but held him in the crook of my arm while I dozed. He woke up around 4am, had a dream feed (love that phrase) and dropped off deep enough for me to put him in his bed. By now, Pirate was up again to eat so I quickly fed him and plopped him back into his bed where he stretched his arms up and went right to sleep.

Ahhh...both boys asleep! And only 5am! I fell asleep with my glasses on sitting propped up in bed. I know this because I woke up about an hour later when Juice's alarm went off at 6:15am. I took off my glasses, moved all of my propping pillows and sank into oblivion.

Juice said good bye around 6:45am, I think I nodded at him. I can't be sure. At 7:05am, Professor woke screaming again. I'm alone!! Where is my Mommy?!?! A diaper change, a feeding and we both crashed on the bed. Pirate woke up around 8am as happy as a lark and ready to eat. And smile, and eat, and smile. He woke me up with his happiness and I played/talked/nursed him for about 45 minutes. By 9am, I figured I should get up and eat before Butterfly woke up. As soon as my feet touched the floor, Professor woke up screaming. Where are you GOING? You're LEAVING me?! I took both boys downstairs and put them on the floor to play while I ate.

Butterfly woke up about 2 minutes later (just after my first bite of food...can kids sense these things?!) and I set down my cereal to go get her. A change out of pjs, a change of sheets (they were very wet) and a change to the kitchen. I fed her some cereal and had another bite of my now soggy stuff. Professor started to cry. So he cried for a bit so I could eat something.

Another change and feeding later (for both babies), and I am finally in a position to get showered. Yay for Flower to play with Butterfly and keep an eye on the boys so I can take my own sweet time. But just as I was getting in, I hear Professor sobbing so I rushed through it and quickly (meaning, didn't get all the way dry before I threw clothes on) and back downstairs to a hysterical Professor and Pirate just starting to cry (meaning he's gone beyond his fussing).

I feed both boys and they both drop off to sleep within about 20 minutes. By this time, it's lunch time for Butterfly. She cries through lunch because she picked sandwiches and not mac and cheese but she really did want mac and cheese! I gave her sandwiches. And put her down for a nap. Then I took both awake boys upstairs and put us all down for naps.

Well, tried to. They cried/fussed/nursed for about 2 hours. Back and forth. Back and forth. By the time Juice got home, I was feeling like a zombie and he made pizza while I tried to settle the boys. I think they finally got quiet around 7:30pm, and then it was time to put Butterfly to bed. The Butterfly who only wants her mommy right now. So by 8:30pm, I was finally getting myself something to eat and thinking about going to bed. Instead, I stayed up and watched a movie with Flower, loving the fact that I didn't have a baby attached to me and Butterfly was quiet.

It can't always be like this. And I suppose it won't always be like this. Most of our nights are very peaceful. The boys get up one after the other, and go back to sleep nicely. So I'm not sure why we had such a rough night but we did. I knew the sleepless nights were coming. And honestly, I just worry that they will impact my milk supply. I don't mind staying up so much for them. They will only be this little once.

I think once is enough.

Safire