Crazy Love

My babies are pretty much the sweetest funniest silliest lights of the world that ever existed... who also occasionally drive me batty.

Jack has a very specific "no, no, something is really wrong, I am not just playing here" cry. Well, its more of a screech. He started with it last night while I was on my dinner date with Abby (it was very nice and even though Abby wanted to bring along Jack, I think she was happy to be just with mom for a night). Jack nursed and went to sleep after the screeching session with Steve but then anytime he did wake up last night it was with the high pitch serious cry. It wasn't pleasant.

However, despite Jack waking up more than normal and Abby having itches at 4am, we actually got quite a bit of sleep because we went to bed super early.

Even so, by morning I had given up trying to put Jack down in the hopes of just another minute or two without the sirens (which happened anytime I was not literally holding him). Steve, being the real hero that he is, wrapped Jack for a couple hours when he woke up miserable at 5.

My whole crazy lovefest point is coming up. When I had Jack back and we were heading to school for Abby I still hadn't been able to put him down without the screaming starting (him, not me), but whenever I'd put him down and still keep eye-contact he would smile at me and raise his eyebrows and then dissolve into tears. It was so obvious he was trying so hard to have a good attitude, something was just plain wrong. SO sweet.

It's the sort of look he gives me now that makes me understand people wanting the baby phase back. It's this adoration and this hope - like 'Oh, its you, you'll make it all better, I just know you will' which, of course, comes with the obvious downside of I don't make it all better all the time.

ANYWAY so Jack and I (and Maggie and Gus) took a walk and he seemed to be doing better. Still not quite able to keep the smile on his face too long before the "uh, uh... uh... somethings... still... not right here." But he had a mom who was a little happier because you see, with more sleep came the realization that actually I was in a pretty bad mood. Without sleep, I may have not been able to understand simple scissor instructions, but I was goofily chipper. With sleep I realized, "hey. I'm annoyed" BUT #1 Jack trying his best to be sweet pretty much melts me and #2 Maggie let me have a few diapers (another thing I realized this morning - I had ONE diaper left which I used on Jack at 8:30am). Samantha suggests that my love language is actually "things that allow me to stay in my house" so that hit the spot Maggie!

SO, armed with a couple extra diapers, a sleepy, not totally miserable baby and an extended school day (Lunch Bunch) I took a shower and, while trying to get Jack to fall asleep, fell asleep myself. For... like... the entire day. 10:30-1:20. That's more sleep than I get in a night sometimes. Very exciting. Very sweet. Jack didn't move once he was asleep. It was good.

AND, not to be shown up, Abby was just hilarious as I was giving her a hug goodnight. She wants me to go to sleep early because she figures I'll let her climb up on the "back bed" (i.e. the foot of the bed) after I'm asleep. Actually that is reserved for when she wakes up passed 6 but we still want/need sleep (Before 6 she sleeps on the floor if she needs to come in to our room). Anyway it went like this:
You've got to go to sleep early. Okay?
Okay.
Do you want to go to sleep right now?
Yes, as soon as I can.
But first you have to put Pajamas on, right?
Yes.
Okay, tell your husband okay? Cuz he was very tired too.
Okay. Thanks.
Good. Okay, go to sleep. Go tell your husband.

a little later:

I need one more thing, just one, and then I won't need anything else
Okay, what is it?
My foot is itchy, my whole foot... except my toes... just my foot.
*I put Desitin on it... I'm all out of ideas here people*
(Abby again) Mom, can I just have a hug? One big hug?
Of course.
And I kinda feel like a cuddle too.
Okay.
Mmmm.

P.S. all you prospective parents out there - you may want to note that there was never any resolution for Jack's fussiness. It could have been gas, teething, a growth spurt, a bad dream, a desire to destroy all hope for rest. a protest for the treatment of llamas in China - who knows? I don't.

*sigh* These crazy kids. I luv'em. But sometimes, I really do wish I liked alcohol, but I imagine it would nice to love them and then have a little wine.