Cling to Me

These past two days have been very draining. And much of it is my fault. It was my choice to walk for almost 90 minutes yesterday and get a sunburn, then lift weights and walk for an hour today...

It started Sunday night with Scarlett sleeping 10-2 in her crib. She never sleeps for long in her crib, so I chalked it up to that. But after bringing her back to her bassinet in our room, she woke up every 2 hours until around 11. We haven't had a night (morning?) like that in a long while. Oh, my brain. Just the night before she had championed out 9 straight hours! And ever since Sunday night it's been 3 cranky evenings. It's like the clock strikes 5pm and she is the unhappiest, most exhausted she has ever been. For the past.three.evenings. I try to lay her down for an evening nap, which she desperately needs, but she is so clingy these past few days it just winds her up even more--all the crying, that is. 

So tonight I gave her an early bath and laid down with her and let her fall asleep with me at 8 o'clock. I didn't sleep, of course, because my nerves were shot. The kitchen was still full of dirty dishes from my homemade white artichoke chicken lasagna, her tub needed to be scrubbed because she pooped in it, and 3 loads of laundry needed to be folded. But my baby needed sleep more than I needed a clean house. So all evening I let her nurse and sleep. She had about a 30 minute wakeful period from 10:15-10:45 then passed out again, this time on the couch. I waited until she was in a deep enough  sleep and moved her to her bassinet where she is presently cooing in her sleep. I am so exhausted but I can't  sleep because I'm so distraught over this clingy fussiness. It's so unlike her to cry so much over being put down. No tummy time, no swing, no crib nap. She Even cried the last 10 minutes of our walk today! This is harder than all those sleepless nights in the beginning because I wasn't expecting this. It seems like a growth spurt but at the same time it seems like she is exhausted and upset. I know God will give me the wisdom to care for her the way she needs, but I feel so frazzled. Tomorrow will be better. Nothing changes her happy morning mood, even growth spurts. So there's that I look forward to! 

Here's a photo of our Sunday nap. It was a great day, what with Scarlett sleeping in nursery.

 I hope my girl feels more like herself soon. I hate that she is unhappy when Texan gets home from work. She doesn't get to enjoy him as much. In this picture you can see that she has found her right ear. She messes with it a lot and my ear infection paranoia kicks in. But her doc say her ears are great, so I'll just keep my eye out for elevated temps and extra crankiness.

I often hear the loud sound of smacking and find Scarlett intently sucking her right thumb. Only the right one, and only when she is sleepy or hungry. I don't mind since she can't keep a paci in her mouth. I find it sooths her and melts my heart. Two birds, one stone.