On My Mind

There are a few items of relative Baby Makes Seven interest on my mind today.

First, Conor’s pre-sleep ritual, they are a changing.  And let’s all thank the Lord for that one.  He has finally gone back to letting Daddy finish off the process.  For the last couple of months, it’s been all Mommy, all the time to go to bed.  Any other option involved a screaming Banshee baby and hot, salty tears.  Finally, about two weeks ago, in one of our many attempts to see if just this once something was different, guess what?  Just that once, something was different. Only it wasn’t just once, and thank God.  I go in and start the process and Daddy can come finish it off.

Even more earth shattering is that Conor has been fairly asking me to put him to bed before he’s nursed himself to sleep.  I discovered last night that we still need to reach a particular level of breastmilk nirvana, but after that, he’s ready to go right to bed, assume child’s pose and with a few back pats, go to sleep.  (His arms are more relaxed than the picture in the link) 

This is big news to us.  I thought that I would be nursing him to sleep forever.  But it seems more and more likely that he is just naturally going to evolve into a self-soothing sleep routine.  If someone had told me that at the beginning, I would have been a lot more relaxed about the process it’s taken us to get to this place. 

Insomnia

The good news is that at least the men in my house can sleep.  Conor is sleeping through the night again most nights.  Dave is an amazing Pavlovian-dog-like sleeper in which all anyone has to say is “Go to sleep” and within 30 seconds he’s down.  (I have actually counted and when he starts snoring at 22 seconds, I wake him up and tell him.  I’m mean that way.)

I, on the other hand, could pretty much stay up all night right now.  (Quick aside:  I’m in the new office which has an unfortunate amount of wildlife in it.  A hairy spider has just crawled about 15 feet down a wall towards and now past me.  The good news is that I just checked and yesterday’s praying mantis is still hanging out by the air conditioner, so this issue may be taken care of sooner rather than later and not by me.  Uh oh.  I just turned my back and the spider disappeared and the mantis is clearly innocent.  I hate that. Ahh.  Spider spotted.  18 inches from mantis) 

OK.  Back to me.  And no sleep.  There are lots of things on my mind.  Work?  Behind.  Daycare?  Not settled yet.  TTC?  Yes, as a matter of fact.  We’ve learned so much about TTC since starting this process of adding to our family two years ago, not the least of which are all these acronyms.  TTC (Trying to Conceive), TCoYF (Taking Charge of Your Fertility), OPK (Ovulation Predictor Kits; Do they last past their expiration date and who knew they had expiration dates!?), and the newest one I’ve learned Not-Not (not trying to conceive, not trying to prevent).

Last night, I had an entire conversation with myself while trying to sleep in which I declared that I am not a not-not.  Say that out loud “I am not a not-not.”  It’s fun to say, but very confusing.  Where is the grammar rule on triple negatives!?  And if I’m using an expired OPK, does that negate my triple negation?  Am I then not a not not-not? 

It’s complicated!  Especially when everyone else in the house is fast asleep and variously, dreaming of chasing squirrels, snoring, or scooting around the bed.  (And you might be surprised who is doing what.)

The mantis and spider are in a stand off, although Spidey looks like he’s heading towards my research papers and notes.  There will be squashage if he does not stick to his side of the office. 

9:01:44 AM