Happy Mother's Day

 My first Mother's Day, 2012

Riesling is a very practical little girl.  A relaxing stress-free breakfast in bed kind of Mother's Day is so unrealistic.  That's not what being a mama is all about she said.  Staying up all night for two straight nights with a screaming crying baby and drinking 45 cups of coffee is so much more realistic.

Poor Riesling is getting in her bottom first molars and she has a crazy cold thing going on (possibly related?).  She started with a little bit of a runny nose late Friday evening but it progressed into something massive right around bedtime (of course!). She was up ALL night Friday in complete misery.  Jim and I felt so bad for her.  Something was obviously wrong but she couldn't tell us exactly what it was or what she needed. She didn't want to be held; she didn't want in her bed, our bed, or the to be put down; maybe she wanted to nurse but she couldn't because she couldn't breath through her nose; she was squirming and wiggling and crying and flailing around for hours on end.  Sometimes you feel so helpless as a parent. Jim even went out in the pouring rain at 2am to buy baby Tylenol (which she spit out at us...smart girl we didn't want to give her toxic pharmaceuticals anyways). 

It was the worst night we've ever had with her EVER.  At least when she was a wee little newborn she could easily be calmed with nursing or rocking.  Sometimes I would end up sleeping in the rocking chair for a few hours but that's not so bed compared to a 25+lb mini toddler thrashing around in the middle of the night.  

She was bit more cheery throughout the day Saturday but not really her old self.  She was run down and obviously not feeling well.  Saturday night was a little bit better than Friday but definitely not a restful night.  She wanted to be asleep sooo bad but she would start gagging and coughing and wake up really upset.  Friday night I tried to force her right back to sleep which seemed to make it worse. So, I realized that when she was that worked up I needed to remove her from the night night atmosphere.  I tried to calm her down with a trip to the kitchen for water or just a walk down the hallway for a minute, then I back in the bedroom and to rock or nurse her in an attempt to get her back to sleep.  It was mildly successful and I got a wee little bit of sleep.

Sunday morning Riesling and I joined Jim in the kitchen while he made breakfast....

 

Jim made eggs and special hashbrowns for me.  We both got started on our coffee IV drip and the rest of the day was actually quite enjoyable.  Riesling was a bit snuggling and lovey which is kind of nice on Mother's Day.  We planted flowers, did a little finger painting and spent a lot of time together as a family.  Tired or not the day must go on, right?!