**Inhale for 4 seconds**
**Hold breath for 2 seconds**
**Exhale for 6 seconds**
**Repeat twice more as needed**
I owe that little sanity-saving tidbit to one of the
"Ellie picks" from the library this week. While 'Mindful Moments at
Bedtime' likely wouldn't have been something I would have chosen on my own, I
can't say that it was a bad pick. That's especially true in light of Ethan's
attitude this week. For the record, I've included a handy-dandy timeline of photos showing you how Ethan's personality has shifted over the past couple of days.
You should know upfront that Mondays are always a hard day
for everyone. Bethany because she misses Ellie and Ethan, Ellie and Ethan
because they miss Bethany, and me because I'm left to pick up the pieces after
the kids suffer from a day of meltdowns. I've just grown to accept that Mondays
are an inconvenient fact of life. However, that mindset does nothing to help me
when those grumpy feelings persist past Monday.
I should probably mention that (in a rare turn of events)
Ellie isn't the problem. Instead, it's Ethan. The poor kid is suffering from no
shortage of maladies at this time. For one, he isn't getting the sleep he needs
at night which in turn prevents dear Bethany from getting adequate sleep for
herself. Let's pause here and give a quick shout-out and thank you to the
rumble strips lining I-435 on her daily commute.
Another issue with poor Ethan is that he is likely teething. Now, I'm forced to use the term 'likely' as I have no definitive proof that is the case. All I have to go on is the constant presence of hands and/or feet in his mouth, copious amounts of drool, the insatiable desire to chew, and finally, the never-ending supply of screams accompanied by the torrential downpour of tears. All together, it really does make for quite the lovely day.
You would think as a semi-seasoned child rearer that I would be prepared for just such a thing. Well, the truth is that you would be completely wrong. I don't even have to look back into blog archives to remember my near-daily appointment to retreat to my bedroom, slam the door behind me, throw myself onto the bed, and partake in 2 full minutes of non-stop screaming into my pillow. Ah, the memories. They just come cascading back so easily.
While I'm not having those same screaming session this time
around, I'm still finding myself mega frustrated by my current set of
circumstances. For one, I haven't figured out the magic trick to calm Ethan
down when he reaches one of these moods. No amount of holding, bouncing,
rocking, or throwing him high in the air seems to be the cure. The only thing
that has seemingly worked is to deposit him in his crib, allowing him to cry it
out until he finally passes out. At the risk of you calling child services, I
want to emphasize that I am making sojourns to his room every five to ten
minutes if he is crying.
Lest you think I'm complaining about everything in my life,
there was one nice little perk to the day yesterday. At my wits end and
desperate for relief, I thought back to those early days with a newborn and
stripped off my shirt, letting Ethan lay there and cuddle. For the record, he
did just that. Of course, he was actively sobbing while doing so. Did you even
know an infant can sob? Going further, did you know an infant can sob while
sleeping? I didn't but I do know.
**Inhale for 4 seconds**
**Hold breath for 2 seconds**
**Exhale for 6 seconds**
**Repeat twice more as needed**
#DaddyWrite
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