Lazy week. Emotional daughter.
This has been such a lazy week for me. My husband has started spoiling me each morning, offering for me to stay in bed while he gets up to play with Anaya. I end up waking up an hour or so later. How nice! I try to remind myself not to feel guilty, as multiple breastfeeding sessions each night are around the corner, however, I still feel a bit like a bum. On top of that extra sleep, I've been napping fairly consistently. This week has been cloudy and cool here in Maputo, and I just cannot resist the urge to get under the covers.
I am throwing a dear friend a bridal shower this weekend, which should be absolutely fabulous (pics to come), and I'm grateful there was planning beforehand, because this week my motivation to work is gone. I have to find it today though, because there are somethings I'd rather not be up at midnight on Friday doing. I think I will have to take my friend Lynne Hartke's advice and see if the motivation can be found in chocolate chip cookies. Just so happens my Mom mailed me chocolate chips, so I can even make proper ones.
Anaya has been a bit on the emotional side this week, and I'm not too sure why. Perhaps she senses the changes that are on the horizon? Or perhaps she is just being a little toot. I'd like to think the first. =) I try and balance extra snuggles with not letting her get used to 24/7 attention.Yesterday I became very aware that she has had too much of our attention this week, as I could not do the dishes or cook dinner without her wailing next to me. Oh dear. Not going to work. So I washed and talked to her as she cried, gasping for air, as if something horrific had happened. I'd stop and give her a quick hug and back rub, and then back to the dishes... and her wailing. Some days are just hard to know what is best as Mom.
I continue to ask the Lord for wisdom, as well as ask friends to ask on my behalf. He says He likes to give it to those who ask, so I'm going to be an asker! I want to be a good Mama, but I certainly am in need of wisdom on how to do that.
April 26, 2012 at 3:24 PM
I think it's mostly a stage. Claire does the same thing many evenings while I cook dinner. Sometimes I put her in her high chair with some toys or a snack so that she can watch me. (That works for a little while.) Sometimes I can get the older kids to entertain her (you will have that luxury with subsequent children.) Sometimes I ask Ben to please take her outside or to another room. And sometimes I just do what you did. I keep thinking that I should schedule her some crib time during the dinner prep hour, but I haven't been disciplined enough yet to make it happen. Once they get accustomed to spending that routine time alone, they are usually happy to do it.
April 26, 2012 at 8:52 PM
Transitioning to big sister can be so so hard. For us, when I talk to our girls about the coming change and te difficulties in it that seems to help. And involving them in whatever things I'm doing has been great. Not even just with baby. They help do dishes, make dinner, clean the living room. Especially for the previously littlest, it seems to help them know that they are important and needed when my lap isn't always readily available.
Of course it all boils down to what will help for each little. As we are called to train them up in the way THEY should go. And we are all so different in our own ways ^_^
April 27, 2012 at 12:02 AM
Oh, Layne, even after raising so many, answers are not obvious! Your solution is absolutely the best: ask God for wisdom; He loves to give it! Praying WITH you, dear one :-)