2 AM and your first night home

2 AM, first night at home

So, during the first two nights in the hospital we actually thought, this whole parenting thing is a cake walk. You slept 4-5 hours between feedings at night, and we actually got in trouble by the nurse for not waking you to feed. Then, on the last night in the hospital, you started to cry inconsolably.

We survived, and to be honest, it was really only about an hour you were upset. Now, we have you home. You are so beautiful, even when you cry. However, you have been crying since 11:30 PM, roughly. It is now 2:05 AM. You daddy took first shift. I was a walking zombie! He loved on you, swaddled you, fed you, rocked you, and loved on you so more. He put you on his chest for a while, skin to skin, and you loved that – for a while. We put you in your bassinette. You liked your crib mobile earlier in the night, so we put your bassinette in the crib under the mobile. Still no comfort. You ate again at 12:30 AM. By now, I was “well rested”, so I get second shift. For the last 1.5 hours, I have tried so hard to make you happy. I succeed sometimes. I am now sitting on the couch and have you in the play pen bassinette. I want daddy to get some sleep! I got out all the parenting books. They generally say don’t feed you again. OK. (I tried anyway, but you didn’t want it.) They then said, let you cry. Time it. It probably won’t be as long as you think. At the time of this sentence, you have been crying for 9 minutes, and it absolutely breaks my heart. I want to pick you up and love on you so bad. When I do, you fall asleep for about 5 minutes before crying again. I want to take away whatever is making you so miserable. I’m so sorry sweet girl. So, I am diverting my attention to this. Some books say you may cry for an hour or so. I’ll give you exactly one hour, at least that’s the plan. I don’t know if I can make it. 10 minutes now, and I am fighting every bone in my body to not pick you up and love on you. OK, so I just stopped and patted you, told you I love you, and I pushed up on your little legs to see if they would relieve any gas you might be feeling. You stopped for about 20 seconds. It makes me happy I comfort you, even if only temporarily. I love you so much little Abigail. You made it a whole 11 minutes, and I picked you up again. I would lay on the couch and put you on my chest. You love being on your belly on my chest. You would stop crying every time. Then, I would start to fall asleep, so I would put you back in your playpen. You would then cry again. That would wake me up enough to put you back on my chest. You would stop. Rinse and repeat for two and a half
hours. I love you.

While I’m sitting, I thought I should tell you about the last few days. They were amazing,
exhausting, and emotional.

Caroline had her C-section scheduled for 11 AM on 2/27/12, now your birthday. We all planned for the big day and anxiously awaited it. The night before you were born, your daddy and I drove to Salem and checked in at The Dutch House Inn. We then met Caroline, Grandma Dorie, Grandpa Dick, Grandma Dubnicka, Mike, and Caroline for dinner. It was the first time we met Mike and Grandma Dubnicka. Caroline said they were very nervous to meet us. Afterwards, Caroline said they approved. We are apparently just nice and dorky enough, just like them! Kind of makes me smile.

Update: OK, I feel asleep before I could finish typing. You eventually woke back up! You are too cute and too new to let cry it out. All you wanted was to be loved on, so I gave it to you! Call me a sucker. Your daddy took over at 4:30 AM. I couldn’t keep my eyes open any
longer. We have your little play pen bassinette sitting next to our comfortable couch. He stayed with you until 5:30 at which time you drank your second bottle and eventually went to sleep. He brought you upstairs to your bassinette and we all slept for 4-5 hours. I have never felt so rejuvenated from such a short amount of sleep. First night at home survived for all of us! I love you little girl.