Dear Baby B,

Let me start by saying that I love you. You have the sweetest disposition, you are funny and strong and amazing. I can't imagine our family being complete without you.

Having said that, I have no idea how such a small person can wreak such havoc upon an entire household. It is one thing for me to be tired. I (for the most part) can cope. The thing is you are (repeatedly) waking up your Dad and your sister as well. And as you know they are one and the same in regards to lack of sleep - M I S E R A B L E. You can't possibly enjoy their company under those circumstances, I know I find it challenging.

And it's one thing for me to be tired but you are also robbing me of any 'me' time I could possibly scrape together. Staying up until 11 or 12 am means that I can't really chill with your Dad when we're watching a show. Your squeals, giggles and smiles are adorable but if I'm being honest, they lose most of their charm after 9:00 pm.

I might be more flexible if I could be sure that when you went to sleep at midnight you would not be up until 6:00 am. (Not that I wouldn't appreciate it if you slept even later.) That's only 6 hours. I really don't think that's too much to ask. Instead, you are up several times. Often at least 4 times. I am not against experiments in letting you 'self soothe' but unfortunately because you share a room with your sister it's not possible.

I would like to give you the benefit of the doubt. I would like to believe that something is bothering you and waking you up and not that you are playing some sort of evil manipulative game with me as our family physician has suggested. (Well, the word 'evil' is mine, not his.) You can't possibly enjoy getting up that frequently.

And as I'm sure you've noticed I certainly am not enjoying getting up that frequently. The sleep deprivation takes me places I never wanted to go. I have yelled at you, said unpleasant things. I feel terribly about it but to be fair, this is no way to live.

At this point, I am surviving on the knowledge that this can't possibly go on forever. Glass half empty people would tell me that you'll then move on to yet another horrific stage. I am going to try and imagine my glass half full. That one day (very soon) you will give me (and the rest of our family) a break. You will more consistently sleep through the night. I don't think this is too much to ask as you'll be an entire year old in only THREE MONTHS!!!

It is just a tiny piece of the whole puzzle but it seems to be the most important one. Otherwise, we have no complaints. We give you an A+ in every other area but your sleeping issues are dragging your overall grade to an F-. I don't even think there is such a grade as an F minus but you have invented it. Congratulations. I'm being facetious. Please cut this crap the heck out.

Love,
your very tired, cranky, stressed, resentful, uncharacteristically angry Mom

P.S. I'm not one to make threats but I'd like to point out to you that once summer comes our new chariot could make an excellent bed.

I Walked for Water

Yesterday I walked 5K with coworkers, friends and strangers. I raised $435 for WaterCan. That amount will provide roughly 18 people with clean water for the rest of their lives. My fund raising goal was only $250 so I was thrilled to have surpassed it by so much. It was a great way to spend Earth Day and a rewarding event to be a part of.

Burn!

#1 I told my Mom I was getting my hair cut. Her response: Why? It actually looks really nice for a change. Wow. Yeah. Thanks. I wonder why I have a hard time taking compliments when I grew up getting that kind of praise.

#2 At the movie concession counter a young guy was waiting on me. I was being my usual friendly self and he smiled at me. Then he asked "Hey, do you have a daughter that goes to *local high school*? I reply "Um... no. My children are not in high school." He says "Oh, you really look like this girl I just met who's in Grade Nine (except you're old!)." I walk off mumbling "High School! High School!? I look old enough to have a kid in High School?"

Loves of my Life

Easter. Which I Realize was a Week Ago

Wow. I really suck at posting these days. I don't know. I think the brain damage from fatigue has finally set in. It's almost embarrassing having conversations with people right now. Here's a sample of part of a conversation I had recently.


ME: Oh yeah, I love Joss Wedon. Did you read that comic he did?

HIM: You mean the Buffy comic?

ME: No, um. It was really good. Oh, what was it called? It was futuristic and it was about another slayer.

HIM: (blank stare)

ME: (grasping) Um... wow... I can't remember what it was called. But um, you'd like it.


So, yeah. That was pretty uncomfortable. What's worse is that it was with a client at work. Worse still he's in the comic book industry... Anyway, this is what I was talking about, if you care.

I digress, I meant to tell you about Easter, not my brain damage.

It was kind of a blur actually. We traveled to Grandma J's house. The girls both slept crappy both nights and I was exhausted. I knew I was tired because I was actually kind of irritable and snappy with everyone, and usually I'm not like that, even when I am tired. That kind of ruined the weekend for me honestly. I was happy to get home and not sleep in my own bed. Ha!

My favorite part of the whole weekend were the pictures I took of Miss A while we played outside for a while. Outside pictures just turn out so much better than inside photos do.







And here are a couple of the baby which were taken inside. Oh yeah, I'm in one of them too.

On The Mend

We are gradually getting back to normal around here. That must have been one wicked ear infection Miss A had because she had an afternoon nap THREE days in a row! The kind of nap where she just crashed out on the couch. That almost never happens. It worked out well that it was Spring Break this week. I'm certain she wouldn't have been up for school.

We have been watching a lot of movies. Also, I think anglophilia is hereditary, otherwise it's just rubbed off on her. She seems, like me, to be drawn to all things English. Examples that come to mind are "Mister Maker", "Charlie & Lola" and the most recent obsession is "Number Jacks". This is a very odd little British show, the point of which is to teach kids about mathematics in a fun way. I am all about her getting a head start in the math department although if she takes after me she's in BIG TROUBLE there. (My brain is not wired to comprehend math in any way. It fact, repels all things math related.) I had to link this video because this guy, the Numbertaker, is one of the 'villians' of the show. Basically, he steals things. And is so creepy, he even scares me.



I have already had the appointment with my orthopedic surgeon. I will be having a day surgery to remove the various metal bits from my ankle. It seemed like a good idea until I thought about having an epidural again. And basically being stuck on my rear for a week afterwards. (Which I wish I could actually enjoy but it will only stress me out.) In any case it needs to be done. I do not enjoy the feeling of tangled elastic bands in my ankle which periodically snap back into place so the inconvenience of having surgery will have to be endured.

Finally, I'm going to share the most hilarious Twilight spoof. It is terrible. Which is what makes it so good.