Sleeping Single

When you think of married couples, you don't picture them sleeping separately. The funny thing is that for us, procreation leads to sleeping apart. It started with Lexi. We quickly realized that we would both be better off in different rooms. Steve felt that getting a decent amount of sleep would help him to function at work. I liked being near the tv or computer so I would have something to do during late night feedings. Babies are sweet, but waking up in the middle of the night to sit in a dark and silent house is just not fun. I wanted something to keep me from nodding off. For the first few months, I slept in the guest room or on the couch.

When Jordan was born, there was no question that we would do the same thing. It started the first night we brought him home from the hospital. There were a few nights of being together at Christmas due to guests filling up the place. Other than that, my husband and I live as roommates. We hang out and talk for an hour or two after Lexi is in bed and then part with a simple kiss. It is starting to feel like we have been doing this a long time even though Jordan is almost 3 months old.

With Lexi, I was back in the bedroom right before the 3 month mark. Her sleep time started lengthening more and more, so it wasn’t bad. Then, she began sleeping through the night right at 3 months.

Even though I have used the exact same methods with Jordan, he still wakes up STARVING every 3 - 4 hours. I try to slip in the pacifier to coax him into sleeping longer and it works for half an hour or so. Maybe I shouldn't complain because once I feed him, he goes right back to sleep. I tried giving him formula one night to see if that would hold him over for longer, but it was worse. He woke up & screamed for 2 hours. That is a big deal for a baby who doesn't cry much. I guess since he was early, I should be thinking that this is more like 2 months.

For now, my hubby & I are roommates. He has nobody to snuggle with, but he can sprawl out on the bed. He can also get some much needed sleep so he can have the energy to help clean, cook, and take care of the terrible two year old. I'll just continue to carry on with sleep deprivation. Fun times!

Missing Miami?

This morning for the first time since we moved here, I miss Miami. Actually, I should clarify that I miss Miami Beach. I watched part of the Today Show on location there. The beautiful water, warm weather (it isn't exactly cold here), and happening scene all made me think about the great things there. I couldn't help but wonder if I would have taken the day off of work so we could take in the excitement.

What am I saying? I don't have to take the day off to have fun with my kids. We may not be hanging out on the beach, but we are going to the park. I would even drive them down to the beach here (Galveston is not nearly as pretty), but I have one kid that is 3 weeks into potty training and another breast feeding. That hour and a half drive each way would not be fun. Ok, part of me still misses it. The burbs just can't compete in some ways.

Valentine Romance

Tonight, I am making my husband's favorite meal, lasagna and homemade French bread. There is nothing like onions & garlic breath to spice up your love life. Good thing we're having chocolate cream pie for dessert.

Advice for a Friend

Lately, I have had several friends contact me asking for advice on major life issues. While I am normally good at coming up with points they should consider, this is not exactly a good time to get my brain in gear. Months of very little sleep has created a fog around my brain, which in turn has depleted my IQ.

The first friend that called had a tricky scenario about whether or not she should marry someone. Given the fact that she is extremely bright (I’d say genius), I wasn’t too worried about helping her. She probably just needed someone to bounce ideas off of or just talk it through to. I can always half way listen.

Another friend (from Miami) sent me an e-mail that has really thrown me for a loop. The issue is SO huge that I am hesitant to step in because she will probably follow my advice. I am putting it out there so that we can come up with several ideas for her. As a little background, she has a teenage (15 or 16 years old) son that is quite shy and has always struggled in school. This is the e-mail she sent:

Things have been really hectic at my home. My son is going through a major depression (including hospitalization at Christmas). It is so stressful and hurtful when your kid is not happy. He is so "unsocial" that he just hangs out in his room. I feel so bad for him and I cannot fix him. He was on Prozac for a couple of months, but it made things worse. Now they are trying to get that out of his system so he is not taking anything. He goes back to the doctor on Wednesday and she is going to try him on another medication. It is worrying me so much because I cannot have him get worse again. He was talking about killing himself. I don’t know what to do anymore, Stephanie. Do you have any suggestions? He does not want to talk to me. He just tells me to leave him alone.

If it were me, I would call a family friend that is a very good therapist here in Houston. Whatever he said, I would do. I would also never leave the kid alone. We’d be stuck like glue so he would not have a chance to do anything horrible. I know that every teenager would hate to get that much attention from their mother, but that is what I’d do. Please leave comments with your advice, so that I can try to help her.

By the way, two very sad posts in a row does not mean that I am sad. Quite frankly, I am too tired to be depressed.

Sad Day

Today, the world lost a very lovely girl. I blogged about her in June shortly after she was diagnosed with brain cancer. I received news that my friend's fiancé passed away this morning. It is difficult to understand why a stunningly gorgeous, sweet, and fit girl in her mid-twenties would fall so quickly. Two years ago, everyone was shocked by how fast my seemingly healthy father deteriorated and died from the same thing. Cancer has no favorites.

Sharing a Gem

As many of you know, I am a bingeing Ebay addict. It isn't a full time addiction. The madness only hits 3 - 5 times a year, but it hits hard. Once I spend too much, I quit cold turkey and don't even check out the deals for a few months. I currently happen to be getting over a binge that was quite fun. Like every time, it started when I wanted to buy some cute outfits for Lexi. I buy her play clothes at all the normal places, but every once in a while I like to buy unique outfits. I start looking in the handmade/custom clothing for little girls section on Ebay. Before I know it, I have bid on way too many great things and I actually hope I lose many of them. I won quite a few this time and in the process, I found a wonderful seller. Her name is duvalldiva. Not only does she fit my criteria, of being a talented mom that is trying to make money, but she is a great seamstress that uses a serger. I got two wonderful outfits from her. Here is a picture and video of the adorable Valentines outfit:





Now, I realize the point of Ebay is to compete for items and therefore it would be smart to keep a gem like this seller a secret. On the other hand, I will not be checking out her stuff for the next few months. I also think the items she currently has for sale are not quite as cute and the prices have gone up a little. On the other hand, she is a rising star so her OOAK (one of a kind) outfits are still cheaper than the big sellers. By the time I get back to my addiciton, she'll be out of my cheap price range. Because of that, I might as well help her in her quest for the big bucks.