6 weeks 4 days and counting...

Throughout this pregnancy I've often wondered how I'll adjust again to the lack of sleep once the baby comes. With Lola, it was never a big issue. I was never really miserable with the lack of sleep. I guess my motherly instinct kicked in and we just made it work. Strange huh?!?!? But even with that, you never know if it will be as easy the second time. Well, over the past week or so, this has been put to the test again. Lola is literally waking up about every 2-3 hours and making a fuss. I told Clay the other night...."Hell, we may as well have an infant with this type sleep."

The night before last she started waking up as early at 11:30 p.m. When she came in the first time I was DEAD asleep. It hurt so bad when she woke us....very painful! Before we had gone to bed that night, Clay and I decided if Lo came in we would start taking her back to her room rather than putting her in our bed hoping to put a stop to this. So, when she came in at 11:30, we trotted her back to her room and got her back to sleep peacefully. We then fell back to sleep and at about 12:15 a.m., here she comes again. Oh Goodness! Luckily, it didn't hurt as bad this time. So, we trotted her back to her room once again, put her to sleep and then we were back to peaceful sleep. I woke up around 2:00 a.m. as my bladder was demanding to be emptied. I got up, looked over and there was Lola...in our bed! How in the world did this happen???? I didn't hear her come back in. Since she was already there sleeping soI just left her. The next morning I asked Clay when Lo came into our room. He said he had no clue as he didn't hear her either. Apparently, that little squirt figured out that if she woke us we would put her back in the big girl bed so she snuck up there on her own at one point in the night. Unbelievable!

Last night was no better. She was up about every 3 hours....screaming no less! Again, may as well be an infant. I'm telling you...she is hell on wheels when she's sleepy. I have to admit, she comes by this honestly (although, I've been much better lately). She also demands the strangest things. Like last night she demanded to tinkle on the "big girl potty" at 3:oo a.m. vs her diaper... SERIOUSLY!!! The only time I'm fine with her going in her pants, she demands to go on the big girl potty...what's that all about?!?!?! It's called manipulation I think. I told her it was fine to tinkle in her diaper at night. I know I shouldn't do this but you have to understand she doesn't really want to tinkle on the big girl potty, she just wants to be a little toot. Again, I think they call this manipulation...right?!?!?! Really, during these times, she'll come up with and say anything just to get a reaction out of us....it always works of course. Anyway, when I told her I was too tired and she could tinkle in her diaper she said "NO! Diapers aren't forever." I knew this term would come back to bite us at one point....Well, it did last night....off to the big girl potty we went. At one point I said to Clay "Ummm...we better get this under control within the next 6 weeks or else we're going to have an issue!" What in the world will we do with a screaming toddler waking up every 2 - 3 hours and a screaming infant waking up every 2-3 hours???? Plus, they'll obviously wake each other up causing what I can only assume would be major chaos. YIKES!

In addition to this, I'm not sure if I've mentioned it but we're also having a HORRIBLE time getting Lo to go to bed at night. It takes at least an hour and consist of lots of yelling "Lola, NO...lay down...it's quite time...time to go to sleep"....."Lola, Lay down now or I'm going down stairs....it's time to go night night NOW."...."Lola I MEAN IT...if you don't lay down and go to sleep NOW then you're in trouble." OH MAN!!! Lets go back just 2 - 3 weeks ago....we would take Lo up to bed every night at the same time, give her a kiss and be off....you wouldn't hear another peep out of her. Not anymore! So, take that and then the fact that she doesn't stay in her room throughout the night and we have issues. I've read all the books which unfortunately were NO HELP!!! We already doing everything they're suggesting. At this point, I have no clue. As usual, I hope it's a phase she'll grow out of. Obviously she'll eventually grow out of it but the only difference with this phase is we need it to happen sooner rather than later. The pressure is on! HELP!!!

Now to the pregnancy....oh the lovely pregnancy...UGH!!! Well, with the lack of sleep, I can't make my 6:00 a.m. workouts anymore. It's just impossible to do that, work all day and then try to survive the evenings. I've found it gets hot very quick in the mornings causing there to be no other time during the day to exercise. So, my exercise has been limited lately to say the least. With this, comes guilt and even more fear than usual to jump on the scale. My next appt is tomorrow...I'm a nervous wreck! Anyhow, you know I've mentioned in past blogs that I'm scared to wake up to look at myself anymore as things seem to continually get worse on a daily basis. I'm really not kidding about this. For example, Tuesday, at the eye doctor, they put me in a chair that faced a huge mirror as big as the wall. I had no choice but to stare at myself...NIGHTMARE!!! During this stare off, I discovered that my boobs and stomach are now one. Yea...you basically can't tell the difference between them. NOT a cute look. Then yesterday morning, I was getting ready and I discovered love handles. AWESOME! How does one manage to have love handles when that area is being stretched very tightly by a huge baby???? THEN, last night I discovered a new stretch mark. I showed Clay and he ever so nicely responded by saying "I don't see what you're talking about." Ha...I know he could clearly see it. I guess this is the appropriate hubby response...deny all things including having the ability to see a crater size indention in your wife's belly. Is this a natural trait husbands have or do they read up on how to respond to a crazy pregnant wife???? THEN, this morning when I was putting on my shorts and tank to go for a "workout" (I use this term lightly b/c I can't move real well so you can hardly call the exercise I get these days a "workout") I discovered back fat! Just in case you don't know...love handles + back fat = muffin top. Again...NOT a pretty look. Oh gosh...what am I going to do?!?!?!?!? Why oh why is this happening to me?!?!?!? Only 6 weeks and 4 days to go...how much worse can it really get....really????????????