So this baby of mine has been a chronic bronchiolitis guy. I’ve never had a bad breather so it’s all new and exciting. In fact, I’m just home from a few days in the hospital with him. Throw some pneumonia into the bronchiolitis mix and you’ve got yourself a weekend pass to paediatric paradise. Baby and I have had the pleasure of spending quality time together wrestling ventolin masks and guzzling pediapred.
Being such a chesty baby, both his sleep and mine have been pretty dodgy over the last few months. Baby’s breathing antics paired with the shenanigans of some of his finer siblings has seen my usual 5-6 hours of sleep a night dwindle to the 3-4 hour mark. It’s not much, but we all know that mama steps up to the plate when she has to, and we can’t underestimate the power of a bit of adrenaline.
Last Saturday night Daddy-o announced that I was to go to bed, shut the door and have a night of uninterrupted sleep. He was volunteering for night duty – sleeping elsewhere and ready to respond to each and every night-time disturbance.
Imagine my shock (OK, pretend shock) when at 4:00am Daddy-o comes bursting through the bedroom door. He was all disheveled with red eyes and crazy hair. He looked as though he’d been sleeping in the wilderness for days. Out of his mouth came the words we mamas have often felt but rarely said: “I can’t do it anymore! Help me!”
Uh dude, you know I do this every day, right?
Since I had already had more sleep than I’m used to and was feeling as fresh as a spring morning, I let him off the hook. He settled into bed feeling all defeated and in awe of me.
I’ve got some mama friends who are exceptional at making milk. I’ve got other mama friends who are incredibly skilled at tricking their kids into eating veggies. It would seem my specialty is getting by on very little sleep. It is a talent that serves me better than any musical or artistic genius would. So what are you good at? Can you predict and intercept a toddler fall before it happens? Perhaps you breastfeed, dress a toddler and get ready for work all at the same time? Do you have some ridiculous mama talent that in any other circles would not exactly count as “talent”?
Picture of SIL and business partner, Julie Ellis, teaching me the ropes. She has survived parenting two chesty babies.
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1. You poor thing. I mean, I know you may be good at it and all, but that doesn’t mean it’s enjoyable. Sleep deprivation is terrible.
2. Really, I think what I’m best at is just laughing. I’m really good at laughing at myself and how disheveled I can be, at how crazy this house looks come 5 p.m., because if you can’t laugh, you’ll cry.
That IS a talent. One I do not possess, unfortunately – with the swine flu in our house this week I had to nap everyday. I’ll admit it, I’m weak.
Glad to hear the little one is home. I hope he’s better soon.
Jill – laughter is a huge talent!!!
Jodi – that sounds very yuk. I thought you were vaccinating. Bring on the naps if ya can swing it!!
Oh yes, I am jealous of your fatigue ability! I am a mess without my sleep – SUCH a drag. I am glad to see the wee one doing better though!
Oh surviving on little sleep is NOT one of my talents. Thank God my girls are all good sleepers. Not sure if I have a specific talent. Maybe it’s just being easy going, understanding, and able to laugh at just about anything??
Given my two teenagers have both said that they can talk to me about anything, and that I am one of the people who makes them feel better in a bad situation….well maybe that’s my talent?
i think you should add to your talents the ability to produce a blog posting on time in spite of having been in hosp all weekend!
that is too funny about the 4am ‘i can’t do this anymore!’
well the blog post was easy. In hospital and no internet (weekend! blah!) but was able to do some stuff in word!
Babe would sleep for one hour before next treatment and if I wasn’t having a little snooze, my laptop was there waiting. Gotta give daddy-o cred there. I called home once we were admitted and told him to send down some trackpants and a toothbrush, and he sent my laptop too. He knows me too well!
I do the ‘hardly sleep yet still function thing’, too. Wish I knew how to get my kids to eat more veggies! My 4 year old had pneumonia last year. We were in CHEO for 2 weeks, he even needed surgery to drain fluid from his lung, chest tube for 4 days, oxygn mask, etc. Let’s just say I rarely slept those 2 weeks. I never left his side, except to visit with my 20 month old baby an hour a day.
This post made me laugh – I don’t know what it is about moms vs. dads – we are not cut from the same cloth for sure! (for the most part, anyways)
My superpower? Who knows…good question!
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What Andrea said! I’ll never compain about being tired again around you or mention that I went to bed at 7:30pm last monday, becuase I thought I needed to catch up on some sleep.
You are good at what you do, Julie!
Loukia – that sounds like it was awful for your little guy and you! It is so hard when one is in hospital and you have others at home. I felt terrible….told the kids I was just popping down to the hospital to get a ventolin treatment, but then we were admitted so I was gone for days!
And Melissa, good idea to keep mum about those 7:30pm bed times. LOL!
Karma – I think being able to win dancin’ with the stars while working and raising a kid counts as a superpower!!
Hey Karma – got my karmas mixed up again!! The other karma just won a local dancing with the stars contest!!
But moms and dads definately different animals. I’m often in shock that he can’t hear someone crying in the night. I watch for him to respond, and nothing! just keeps on snoring away!
Oh boy I just read this post and your Christmas hospital post, hope your baby boy’s breathing gets better. I grew up with bad asthma and its not fun. Luckily my 4 kids have had minimal breathing problems so far (we have the home nebulizer but don’t use it more than a few times a year). I have to admit my super talent is the doing multiple things while breastfeeding and changing diapers anywhere (like on a carousel ride).
Julie you are my hero!! What a good momma you are. Your babes (and your hubs) are lucky to have you. And we’re lucky to have you too – what would us moms do without your labels! Seriously, you’re an inspiration Julie.
Lack of sleep is the absolute worst part of being a new parent. I have never been one to function well without sleep under normal circumstances let alone with a baby. Wishing you the best and enjoyed reading your article.
I think I’m pretty talented… I take my 7.5 month old with me to work (since 2 weeks old) and actually manage to get work done
Thankfully I work for my mom’s company so I get away with a lot (like letting the phone go to the machine because I’m in the middle of a poop-splosion.)