Seriously, there is not enough Starbucks in the world to make me feel good right now. I can’t keep going like this. I’m going to die or get very sick. We just are not sleeping in this house. Or maybe it just feels like I’m not sleeping as I’m going from room to room trying to comfort children that do not want to sleep. Drew was up A LOT last night…which he’s been doing pretty good so I think he’s getting another tooth. Normally his bad sleeping I can attribute to teeth. Paige was up her normal two to three times (maybe it was four? who knows?) last night and Cole cried three times for about 15 minutes each time. The last time seemed pretty bad so I went in by him. I think I was up every 45 minutes last night. My whole body hurts…but mostly my head. Whenever one kid wakes up and cries, it wakes up the entire house then we have three crying kids on our hands. Our house sucks when it comes to noise control. But the weird thing is that Eric brought Paige downstairs to start the day at 4:30, while I crashed with Cole upstairs….and Daddy has the TV blasting so loud and both Paige and Cole are snoozing right through it. Go back to bed you say!!! Do it….take advantage of this golden moment!! Oh that’s right….we have another baby wide awake that can’t get enough of Cinnamon Raisin Granola baby food. When can Drew start feeding himself??
On another depressing note: Here’s my life in a three week period of time:
Appointments for kids: 10 doctor visits and one upcoming surgery
Appointments for Mommy: 1 doctor visit and two dentist appts (that’s right…I have my first cavity EVER!…not happy)
Therapies: 11 days of therapy
3 swim lessons and 1 Kindermusik class
Plus throw in there a trip to get Paige new glasses (yes, she broke them yet again) and a trip to another eyeglass store to get her a backup pair.
And that’s just in 3 weeks!!!!!! With no freakin’ sleep!!!!!!!!!! I’m going to DIE!!!!! The Holidays and our relatives who are coming to visit can not come soon enough. I need something to look forward to.
Related Posts:Posted in: babies
I’m not sure how I’ve found your blog, but I’ve been a lurker for awhile. I’m finally just going to post.
I am hurting for you right now. With all that you’re going through, it just makes me so sad for you. It sucks when you get no sleep, and to do if for days on end, is just no fun! Try to take some time for yourself. I know, easy for me to say, but really try - it’ll be good for you!
I hope things get better for you!
Let me know on the swim lessons - I was serious - I can watch Drew while Eric and you swim with Paige and Cole. Sophia and Drew can entertain each other! We are there at 9:00 am on Saturdays.
Recommendation on the sleep…. This was an idea form our NICU nurse.
Many feel that since Micro Preemies spend so much time [ours 3 months] sleeping in a room with constant noise, that they need it to sleep. The first few months of life determines sleep comfort. [according to the sleep study lady] ****praying for no more apnea****
Our boys will not sleep with out some sounds. Right now they have James Taylor greatest hits [minus steamroller and mexico] playing in their room. At first I would just put the CD on and they would fall fast asleep. Then Hunter started waking around the same time every night standing up screaming, we thought night terrors, he had had them before. No, Mr Picky was having the music ended anxiety. So now I have 2 little men that wake maybe 1-2 times per night instead of 5-10. They also do great at my moms house with a white noise maker, my dad has to sleep with it one [and they are just like him, look just like him too].
A friend of mine {with 10 kids, bless her heart} says that this holds true at her house too. The younger kids had learned to nap right through all the noise that when the bigger kids went to school they could not nap. She found a little banging around the kitchen, emptying the dishwasher, and a loud TV made them sleep just fine, GO FIGURE!
<p>Cindy–you rock!! They just called me back this morning and we have switched to the 9am class. Thank you sooooo much for helping us!</p>
Hey you know there might be something to the noise and the NICU thing. When we brought our twins home, they could not sleep without some noise. They still fall asleep better if the TV is on or some music. I hope it works for you guys. I feel exhausted just reading how exhausted you are.
Oh, Tobie. I know what it feels like to not be getting any sleep… thankfully when we go through those periods of time, they are very short lived (unlike your ongoing stint)!
I so wish we lived close so that I could watch some children while you’re running around to appointments. It’s such a pain in the bum to cart extra kids around to a doc’s appts because you have no other choice; and I only have the 2! I think that’s what makes the appointments so overwhelming for me, the packing up, entertaining while out, and then carting home… and the while praying that they’ll still take a nap once home. Hopefully there are others, who live closer, offering this (babysitting for 1 or more while you’re taking other(s) to appointments), and hopefully you’re taking them up on their offers.
Advice: Knowing all that you’ve tried, I’m sure that you have tried the noise in the kid’s bedrooms. We do have a noise machine that we’ve been using… for over a year? The intention was to drown out other noises in the house so that they don’t hear us bumming around when they’re trying to get to sleep; but I’m sure that it’s become a soothing sound to them.
Oh, yes, and have you considered buying stock in Starbuck’s? At least you might be getting some of your money back.
Hi you guys,
I read your blog all the time but rarely post.
I feel really bad for you…. I know you probably tried everything, but have you tried putting a fan in the kids room? We all sleep with fans in our rooms, it blocks the outside noise. Of course we don’t direct the wind on them, but just the noise is reassuring for them. The twins are now almost five and cannot fall asleep without the fan going.
Hope things get better soon!!!
I second the white noise machine. We just bought a cheap one at Walmart that does about 8 nature sounds, but the white noise sound seems to be best here. We keep it on the louder side, so it softens any noises. This way they aren’t startled awake if anything loud happens. My doorbell can ring, dogs bark, phone ring and usually it doesn’t wake them. Good luck, I am feeling for you!
FYI, I know we didn’t post about it before, but we have a white noise playing throughout the night.
I hope you get some rest soon!! Before you know it the kids will be graduating from High School. Time passes very fast! I know this doesn’t help right now, sorry. It was just yesterday we were taking my daughter off of her apnea monitor. She is now a junior in high school and getting ready for her first formal dance. Now, I kind of wish we were back in diapers!!
Have you tried some chamomile tea? Supposedly its relaxing, and yes I mean give it to the babies…That is an old Argentine folktale.
Good Luck!!!
We’ve tried Melotinin, but not the tea (yet).
Gosh,
Then it got better fast. And life was a whole lot better. I really feel for you, but, honestly, it sounds like you are doing everything I, or anyone else, can think of to suggest.
Hang in there!!!!
I hated myself on sleep deprivation: it was so freakin miserable. The kids are decent sleepers now, but neither slept through the night until a bit past their 2nd birthday. And while one screaming didnt’ wake up the other, they were kind enough to alternate waking up through the night
Hang in there.
Tobie,
You are doing an AMAZING job. AMAZING. I am often in awe of you when overwhelmed by my one micropreemie baby— but two micropreemie toddlers + one Drew? Wow. You really, really, really should feel incredibly proud of yourself for mothering with such commitment, thoughtfulness, and passion for your kids. Yeah, I know— you probably feel like a s*%$ mom on top of everything since you’re probably barely verticle but YOU are everything they need.
Unfortunately, THEY aren’t everything YOU need, but that’s a whole other story.
Anyway, any mom needs help. Any mom of twins needs help. Any mom of a young baby needs help. Any mom of a preemie needs help. Any mom with three under the age of two needs help. And any mom at home with three under the age of two all day deserves a frickin’ medal. And YOU are ALL of those things. So give yourself a LOT of credit. ANYONE would be feeling majorly strained in your shoes.
Also, I HEAR you on the appointments. I used to do social work, and I feel like I have a full time caseload just with my own baby as far as appointments and specialists and therapies and the rest of it goes.
It sucks, I know-
Can you go have a pedicure, do something for yourself?
(HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! OK. I’m sorry. I had to say it. I couldn’t resist.)
I am a long time reader but not good about commenting. i just wanted to say that you are an AMAZING parent and doing a wonderful job! I have twins to and know what sleep deprivation is like. There’s nothing like feeling insane when you haven’t slept! i hope this “phase” passes soon. i really enjoy reading your blog.
As others have posted, the lack of noise in their bedrooms might be part of the problem. For Paige and Cole, before moving to their own rooms, were probably use to the sounds the other makes while sleeping. It could now be too quiet for them.
My now three year old was in the NICU, only for eleven days, due to a Strep B infection. Even though he was only there for a short time the nurses told us he would probably sleep better at home with noise in his room, due to all the beeping he was now use to sleeping thru. He did have trouble sleeping once he came home. Once we put a little noise machine in his room it was much better!
They’re all very lucky to have you for their mommy! One day they will understand all you’ve done for them.
Just hang in there! Get any help you can get, ask friends for help and take turns to sleep. It will pass. best wishes!
Sounds good we will see you Saturday morning.
Hello! I check your site regularly but this is my first time posting. Have you had a sleep study done for sleep apnea? Just a suggestion. Let me know if you want more details, my 4 year old sleeps with CPAP every night.
Could it be any of her meds? Steroids can make them wily. Even pulmicort or prednisone. I can not remember if you are using periactin or not, that has a list of side effects a mile long, and not your standard ones either. I try not to keep my son on periactin for long because of that. Though he has not suffered any of them. But it is an antihistamine.
I guess maybe you are dealing with a sensory disorder of some sort?
Paige is drug free.
Just when I was starting to think I might want another…
I feel for you guys, I really do. And like most everybody else, I think you are awesome:)
I just wanted to let you guys know that we are thinking of you… Hopefully some sleep will bless your house very soon!! HUGS!!!