Sleep???

I honestly can't remember the last time I had a full night's sleep. It was sometime before my pregnancy which was over a year and a half ago. I never was that uncomfortable during pregnancy...I'm not saying it didn't have its moments but I was never miserable. However, I just never slept that well. I'm sure the many trips to the bathroom had something to do with that.

I am very certain that pregnancy is not just about growing a baby inside of your "not yet stretched out" middle section. It's a preparation of what's to come when the baby is actually here. Really. You can't sleep well for whatever reason...well, at least you have time to get used to always being exhausted without actually having the responsibility of a baby. Once the baby is here you're already used to functioning without adequate sleep. Consider yourself lucky to be so prepared....you're husband didn't get the luxury of sleep deprived preparation. Nor did he get to take pleasure in that "icky" feeling we all know too well that occurred in the first trimester.

Then of course the no drinking alcohol rule. This was pretty easy because you're not doing it for yourself. I'm not speaking for everyone here but when you go 40 weeks or more without something, you tend to crave it less. The exception for me? Sushi and feta cheese...I was happy to have those items staring at me on my plate. But in all honesty, do I really care to have that beer? No, not really, but pass the Greek salad!!

Then there's the lack of motivation to do anything. It's Saturday night and all you want to do is eat dinner and climb into bed. Maybe get out once for some cookies. Okay twice for some ice cream but who's counting at this point? You're husband doesn't always understand why you don't feel like going to see that band and driving everyone home. At the end of the day there

just parts of your body that can't do it anymore. Again, it's preparation. When the baby is here you just can't do those things. Not for a while at least. You just get used to being homebound or doing things that are nearby with a baby. You get used to being home on a Saturday night. You get used to watching your husband fall asleep on the couch at 9:30. As parents, it just happens.

So here I am August 5th. DJ will be one next month and he's still not "sleeping through the night." He normally goes to sleep around 8-8:30. I probably shouldn't but I go back in around 11:00 and nurse him one more time. He wakes up a few times to be comforted back to sleep...last night it was around 12:30 and 4:30. I have started following the Ferber Method somewhat. I go in about 5-10 minutes after he starts crying and give him his blanket (which I usually find on the floor next to the crib in the morning) and turn the music back on. He winds up pretty loud, quite possibly because he's mad that I am not picking him up but within 5 minutes he's usually back to sleep. He seems to be adjusting somewhat to this new routine but I was hoping he'd be sleeping better by now. He's very stubborn when it comes to sleep so I guess I should be happy with the progress we have made. I do wonder if he'll ever sleep that six hour stretch that I've only heard about. Like I mentioned before, thank goodness for the preparation, right?