Creatively Makeshift

One would think that since Alex has been mobile for a bit now we would have the house pretty much baby-proofed. One would be wrong. It is on my list for this weekend. But since the official baby-proofing hasn't gone into affect yet, I have been forced to improvise.

I did buy a couple gates to facilitate an appropriate situation for me to be able to shower in the morning if the beast is awake. Now, if I need to shower and he is awake, one gate goes in front of the stairs, one gate goes in the doorway to the kitchen, the door to his room and the closet get closed, and TADA!!! the tiniest hallway in all the land becomes a play pen! I do leave the bathroom door open so I can hear him and peek out of the shower and check on him...like every 7 seconds. But since the door is open, he has access to the bathroom cabinet and the toilet. Neither of which have any sort of anti-baby device whatsoever. So currently there is a roll of masking tape on the back of the toilet. Before I get in the shower, the cabinet door and toilet lid get taped in a closed position. Totally keeps him out. White trash much? Yes.

Speaking of tape, we cannot figure out a different way to keep the entertainment center drawers closed. I think the drawer latch thingys that every other parent on the freaking planet uses would work just fine. Trav does not agree. He thinks that if we use those, Alex can get his fingers pinched in the drawers since they would open just a bit. So, to avoid pinched baby sausage fingers, the drawers are currently taped shut with blue masking tape. We are the definition of classy.

Why yes! I woud love some cheese with this whine.

This morning was not a good morning.

Alex was acting like he was tired from the moment he woke up. He was fidgety and whimper-y. He only had the patience to eat about 4oz and then wasn't particularly happy in general. He wasn't happy with being on the floor with his toys. But then he wasn't happy with me holding him. So while I was holding him he was diving forward and twisting around making it impossible to get anything accomplished. The whole time he wasn't happy, he was whining. Whining, whining, whining. Making me crazy, crazy, crazy.

Then I pinched my finger in the baby gate. That was right after I whacked my elbow on the bathroom counter. We were just about out the door when I realized Alex hadn't gotten his medicine. His bright pink medicine. So I gave it to him. While wearing a white hoodie. Didn't notice the bright pink medicine on my white sleeve until I had my hand up close to my face to inspect my knuckle and get the three slivers out from skidding it across the wall in the garage while trying to squeeze the boy's car seat between the car and the wall. Started the car, low fuel alarm dinging at me. And then just to ice the frustrating morning cake...Justin Bieber is on the radio, singing his insanely stupid Eenie Meenie Minee Mo Love Song. I had to take multiple deep breaths to stop myself from crying.

I just really want one morning to myself. One that doesn't include having to get the boy ready too. One morning where Trav has to juggle his morning routine with a whining baby and a barking dog and medicine and formula and banged elbows and slivers. I realize because of his job this can't happen. And that we should be happy that we both have good jobs. But that doesn't make it any less frustrating.

And no, I am not missing the irony of me whining about a whining baby. Shut it.

Guilty McGuilterson

Just get me my Asshole Hat.

We started the amoxicillin yesterday. Two doses in and there is a noticeable difference. The boy isn't coughing as much and his nose is no longer a constant faucet of snot. The most noticeable thing though? He can sleep comfortably. Aside from a 3&1/2 minute fuss at about 4am, he slept the whole night. From 7pm to 6am. Like a baby shaped rock.

So why the Hat? Because instead of comforting my kid, I let him cry. And got frustrated that he was crying. I realize that my extended collegiate career did not include any classes on diagnosing babies. I also realize that this happened almost a week ago. But I still feel like a big ol' meanie.

Slow Down!

I love my husband, but I almost ninja kicked him in the head last night. He intentionally showed Alex how to walk with the walker toy thingy. On purpose. Alex hadn't even thought of that as an option. He is still working on pulling himself up to a standing position on stationary things. He hadn't even thought of pushing something. Wasn't an option. But now? Now it's an option.

I have to admit, it was cute. He looked totally wasted, but he did it. He took about eight steps before plopping down on his butt. I tried to get it on video to prove it to you naysayers (I'm lookin' at you Dad), but by the time I got the Flip out, he was on his third attempt and was not happy. So the only video I currently have, he is pushing the walker thingy but whining and on the verge of crying for the entire 30 seconds. It is not fun listening material. Take two will happen tonight.

Between the learning how to walk and the rapidly getting too big for his car seat carrier, I am almost at anxiety attack stage. The growing and learning and getting big and figuring stuff out and crawling! It's all too much. Slow down little man, Mommy's brain can't take it.

Who knew?

I just love this not knowing what I am doing thing. I thought Alex's cold was on it's way out. And then WHAMO! Yesterday happened. His cough that was mostly gone showed back up. In a major way. A red faced, rattly, making him gag way. And it was coupled with a nose that would not stop running. We had a snotty and coughy baby on our hands. It was not good. So off to the doctor we went this morning.

Turns out he has an ear infection in his left ear and a sinus infection. Goodie goodie gumdrops!

Do ya think having two infections going on in his head would have a little something to do with his sleeping issues? Perhaps. Do ya think I feel like an asshole for letting him cry it out? For sure. But I am just going to have to deal with that.

It is a little nutty to me that he remained all giggly (for the most part) with all of this going on. I had a sinus infection not too long ago, and giggly was no where near the menu for emotions I had going on. He's a tough little cookie I guess.

Happy Friday!

I feel like a completely different person today!

The boy ate a normal amount of food last night without acting like a maniac. And aside from about 5 mins of fussing around 11:30, he slept through the night.

It was glorious. That is all.

Sleep, child. SLEEP.

Oh Cry It Out, how much did I not miss thee? A truck load of llamas packed with provisions for a year-long trek in the Andes, that's how much.

I am not exactly sure when this happened, but it needs to stop. Alex was sleeping through the night like a champ. "Was" is the most important word in that sentence. He is no longer. And hasn't been for I think about a week. I am not really sure as it seems all days and nights and all the times in between have blurred into to one big droopy eyed mess.

He now wakes up around 2:30AM or so and won't sleep unless I am holding him. Like literally refuses. I will rock him until he is so asleep he is almost snoring. And when I put him down, the millisecond one hair on his head touches the sheet his face scrunches up, his legs start kicking, and the crying/whining/screaming starts. You would think I am laying him down on a bed of rusty nails.

I think this started when he was sick. I felt bad when he was fussing when he was sick, so I would comfort him...in the holding, snuggling, rocking way. Turns out he likes sleeping like that. Weird right? So even though he isn't sick anymore, he continues to like sleeping while being snuggled and rocked. Not good. The other problem with this is that on week nights, I have been just rocking him for a while because it is shorter than letting him cry. And I like to sleep.

But last night, I decided it needed to stop. So I went down and checked on him..shockingly he was fine. The tornado of kicking feet when I didn't pick him up and instead just covered him up and walked out was craziness. And then he cried. And screamed. And cried. For almost an hour. It sucked.

This time it was ripping my heart out to not go ease his frustration. And then Travis started snoring. So I kicked him. I am not about to feel horrible about my screaming child not only knowing, but also hearing that I am going through it alone. No thank you.