I just started to write out everything that went wrong in July. Mostly all related to me getting severe Mastitis twice and still don't feel back to myself.
On top of the mastitis, Sophia AND Aaron caught the common childhood illness, Hand Foot & Mouth disease. We were all sick with bad sore throats and the kids had coughs. Scary when your newborn has a cough... Sophia was doing several breathing treatments a day. Aaron also got in a wreck that gave him terrible whip lash with neck and back spasms.
But!! July did end on a few good notes!
A few months before Silas was born we started working on bedtime with Sophia. We've always taken the go-with-the-flow or "attachment parenting" approach when it comes to naps and bedtimes with her, but we knew with a new baby in the house we'd need more structure. Honestly, nap time and bed time were going OK but we still missed several naps a week, and when she did nap, her bed time got later and later, which lead to a later morning, then later nap, then later bedtime... And sometimes, she'd still be awake when we would go to bed! Oye! So during the month of July we dropped the nap and cracked down on bed time.
I've always read and heard that children thrive on routine.
But being the young, new parents that we were, we weren't very concerned with that and Sophia was always on our schedule. She's always been a great sleeper though. When she was about 18 months she dropped her second nap. Since then she's always gotten at least a two hour nap and slept 12-13 hours through the night.
Yeah, sure sometimes it was frustrating.
We'd all go to bed at the same time. ...In the same bed. Then I'd linger in bed with her in the mornings until she woke.
Sometimes it felt like Aaron and I never got a minute alone together. But we accepted it because we never tried or knew anything different. I always thought we just weren't one of "those" people who schedule their children.
But let me tell you.
WHERE HAVE I BEEN!?!?!?
As of two weeks ago, we're now in a place where Sophia and Silas are down for the night (in their own beds!!!!!), by 8:00 PM, never later than 8:30 PM, and they both wake up the next morning around 8:00 AM. Of course, Silas still has a feed or two a night, and if he misses one, I'm up to pump. But we have a little routine going and every night I want to high five Aaron because we've done it again. We have four hours alone. (I usually try to stay up at least 3-4 hours after Silas' last feed to pump before bed.)
I feel like this new time at night given us a whole new marriage.
I feel like we're dating again.
Except this time, it's better... because we're married.
We've started to play games and cards together.
We're learning to dance. Which led to real dance lessons once a week.
We watch movies or shows that I'm actually staying awake for.
Our "spots" on the couch and love seat have turned into one spot on the couch so we can sit with each other.
I realized I'm no longer showering in the evenings because it's the only time I can, but showering because Aaron's coming home! And I don't want him to see me quite so sloppy. :)
Everyday I anticipate Aaron coming home from work with excitement.
I mean, the cheesiness could go on and on... and on. ;)
We've really been enjoying each other the past few weeks.
I'll take this little bedtime epiphany as a "God wink" saying to remember that our marriage comes before our children.
;)
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