Dark Days / Light Days
Yesterday and today, Andrew had to go into work early and stay late (late as in out-for-dinner-and-drinks late, getting home past midnight late). This meant I was on my own all day for two days—and, more significantly, two bedtimes. These days were so different I just had to capture them in a post.
I thought yesterday would be the easy day, since Kate, our sitter, had agreed to stay through bedtime to help me manage getting two babies to bed. But Greta chose yesterday to mutiny. She fooled us into thinking she was going to be the easy one by sleeping through the night—straight through, from 7:30 to 6:30. But then she napped badly all day—trying to nap, needing to nap, but napping fitfully and waking before she was ready. By 3:00pm, she was a screaming, inconsolable basket case. I passed her off to Kate and took Lucia to the grocery store for a little breather; she fell asleep immediately once we left. There was a 45-minute period of peace when we got home, and Lucia and I baked cookies. Then Greta woke up and all hell broke loose. Lucia decided to mutiny as well. It had rained pretty much all day; she’d been cooped up with a screaming baby; and she just started running wild, literally running in circles around the coffee table and then hitting my legs wildly for no reason. I felt like I should have been in that old public-service-message commercial: Stop. Count to ten. Before you pick up your child. Greta screamed throughout Lucia’s bathtime and bedtime. Thank goodness I had someone there to rock her and try to calm her. It was an evening that, were I not already mom to the little monsters, would have served as outstanding birth control. I can’t adequately capture the insanity. It was like a scary circus inside an insane asylum.
Then there was today. It was sunny and warm (well, mid-forties, which seems warm). I hustled everyone outside for a walk at 9:00am; Lucia seemed thrilled to be actually walking outside of the apartment. We spent the morning at a friend’s house with our playgroup; Greta slept in the Bjorn. When we left, we walked to the playground. Lucia ate her whole lunch on the way. Greta took another snooze. Everyone had a great nap once we got home and woke up in good spirits. We went back to the playground at 4:00 and got home just when it got dark. Lucia played calmly. Greta kicked in her bouncy chair. Lucia ate a good dinner. There was a blip when I went to put Greta to bed—lots of tired screaming—but then she fell asleep and stayed asleep while I gave Lucia her bath and put her to bed. The day went quickly, pleasantly.
I could congratulate myself, but I think the true hero in this story is the weather. Things are just better when we can go outside. Lucia’s happier. Greta naps better. I feel saner. Down, down with winter. Let’s hope this mildness sticks around.
I thought yesterday would be the easy day, since Kate, our sitter, had agreed to stay through bedtime to help me manage getting two babies to bed. But Greta chose yesterday to mutiny. She fooled us into thinking she was going to be the easy one by sleeping through the night—straight through, from 7:30 to 6:30. But then she napped badly all day—trying to nap, needing to nap, but napping fitfully and waking before she was ready. By 3:00pm, she was a screaming, inconsolable basket case. I passed her off to Kate and took Lucia to the grocery store for a little breather; she fell asleep immediately once we left. There was a 45-minute period of peace when we got home, and Lucia and I baked cookies. Then Greta woke up and all hell broke loose. Lucia decided to mutiny as well. It had rained pretty much all day; she’d been cooped up with a screaming baby; and she just started running wild, literally running in circles around the coffee table and then hitting my legs wildly for no reason. I felt like I should have been in that old public-service-message commercial: Stop. Count to ten. Before you pick up your child. Greta screamed throughout Lucia’s bathtime and bedtime. Thank goodness I had someone there to rock her and try to calm her. It was an evening that, were I not already mom to the little monsters, would have served as outstanding birth control. I can’t adequately capture the insanity. It was like a scary circus inside an insane asylum.
Then there was today. It was sunny and warm (well, mid-forties, which seems warm). I hustled everyone outside for a walk at 9:00am; Lucia seemed thrilled to be actually walking outside of the apartment. We spent the morning at a friend’s house with our playgroup; Greta slept in the Bjorn. When we left, we walked to the playground. Lucia ate her whole lunch on the way. Greta took another snooze. Everyone had a great nap once we got home and woke up in good spirits. We went back to the playground at 4:00 and got home just when it got dark. Lucia played calmly. Greta kicked in her bouncy chair. Lucia ate a good dinner. There was a blip when I went to put Greta to bed—lots of tired screaming—but then she fell asleep and stayed asleep while I gave Lucia her bath and put her to bed. The day went quickly, pleasantly.
I could congratulate myself, but I think the true hero in this story is the weather. Things are just better when we can go outside. Lucia’s happier. Greta naps better. I feel saner. Down, down with winter. Let’s hope this mildness sticks around.
Comments