I'd totally forgotten just how much work having a little one around requires. Although Alexxis is a well-behaved baby, very content the majority of the time, I'd forgotten about, okay, not forgotten about --- just never experienced the entire formula/bottle feeding thing. You see I breastfed Amber so I never had to do all the prep work and planning that a bottle fed baby requires. What I had forgotten was just how quickly those every 3-3 1/2-4 hour feedings roll around along with the burping and the diaper changing afterwards. I'd forgotten about the entertainment factor that a little one requires while they are awake and the joys of them fighting sleep and the next 30 minutes that it takes trying to sit and calm them down before getting them back to sleep. I'd forgotten that by the time you got round one done, you only have about an hour before round two begins, LOL!
Adding a bit of insult to the injury of having to really have a plan in place and trying to stick to it as far as the time-management goes, that you really have to leave in room for the unexpected moments like having the hiccups and a bit of gas can throw everything back off kilter.
Alexxis was great about sleeping in her crib here in my home. I managed to get her comfy and in bed after her 10 p.m. feeding before hitting the couch for a bit. Around midnight, I missed my online friends, my groups, the checking my email so I jumped online for about a hour and a half just getting myself caught back up. Then it dawn on me that Alexxis would soon be waking up once again for a feeding so I put her bottle out in some hot water to warm up. At 2 p.m. she hadn't woken up yet and getting a bit tired myself, I decided I'd surprise her and wake her up to eat. My plan worked perfectly except if you've ever tried to feed a sound asleep baby who is content to have her bottle between her lips and still be in that warm, comfy place between here and dreamland, LOL! I kept gently nudging my little sweetheart to get her to eat vs. sleep. After another half hour, burbing, changing her diaper, I managed to get both of us back in bed.
Being afraid that I would sleep through her cries since it had been so long since I'd had a little one to care for, I decided to sleep on the loveseat. Another big mistake! I couldn't stretch out, I tossed and turned, putting my feet up on the arm of the loveseat, tossed and turned some more when the went to sleep and awoke me. Finally, I simply feel out waking up around 5 am and decided I better get a bottle ready and warmed up once again. When Alexxis woke at 6 a.m. for feeding I was ready for her although both of us were extremely sleepy! At 6:45 we settled in once more, this time I went to my bed, I'd had enough of being cramped and the inability to s-t-ret-ch out!
Alexxis woke again at 10 a.m. for her next schedule feeding and by the time I changed her, cuddled her, and her bottle warmed enough to drink, we sat and woke up together. Her with her bottle and me with the largest coffee cup I could get my hands upon! Another session of burbing, then changing a dirty diaper filled with the present she'd left for me, around 11:30 a.m. we finally managed to get her bathed and dressed once again. She greeted me smiles and squills of delight as we played together for about an hour before she was tired enough to play possum in that quiet alert state before dozing off once again. I quickly decided she had the best job as I set out to wash up bottles, get them dry and mix up formula for her for the next 3 feedings.
Shortly, there after Amber telephoned to say she'd just finished up with her interview and returned home. She was pre-heating the oven to throw in a pizza for her and Chris's lunch and would be over to pick up Alexxis in just a few. I went about making certain I'd put everything I'd drug out of Alexxis's diaper bag back into it to have Alexxis ready when her mommy arrived.
About 15 minutes later, Amber showed up looking beautiful! Back was that bounce in her step, that bright smile that lights up a room. Looking nice and neat, attractively dressed with the first hints of make-up I've seen since Alexxis's was born. As we walked out to the Durango to load up Alexxis and all her supply needs, I noticed I was still in my pj's at 1 p.m., LOL! As I hugged Amber, I couldn't resist telling her, that Alexxis says, "See mommy, even when grandma watches me, I'm so much work that even she doesn't have time for a shower and to get dressed." Amber laughed and I felt good about making her realize that even a person with a bit of experience has the same struggles and makes the same comprimises and sacrafices that she herself has had to make many, many times over. I'm happy that I could provide her with a welcome break,some time for her to simply take care of herself, and to have some time forself for herself.
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