Dear Blog....

It's me.

Kelley.

Just thought I'd inform you on why you are so neglected.  The past month I've been entirely too busy LOSING.MY.MIND.

Why???? 

Well, since you asked...It started about a month ago.  Preston, my very best sleeper EVER (at least 12 hrs a night, 3 hr naps in the day) and who lovingly would say "Ni-Ni" as I'd lay him down and walk out of the room, decided he just wasn't going to do that anymore.

So he quit.

Suddenly, he screamed bloody murder every time we'd try to put him to bed.  He'd throw his blanket out of the crib.  He'd throw his binky out of the crib.  He'd cry until he'd literally lose his voice.  He'd cry until I'd finally cry too.

We did not know what happened to our child!!  No teething.  Not sick.  ......?????.....  Seriously, just decided one day he hated his bed.  No sleep - just cry.  (My theory is a a serious night terror - read about it online).

After a few days of this, I contemplated putting him up for sale.  (I should probably insert a "just kidding" right about here, but I'm not.)

LOOOONG story short, we finally get him to go to bed if we sit in a chair next to the crib playing lullaby's from our phones until he falls asleep.  Annoying, but still better than hearing his terrible, sad yet SHRIEKING cry.

Enter stomach flu.

First, Paige starts throwing up.  Every half hour for SEVEN hours.  Poor thing dry heaved herself to death.
The next day, it hits me.  Same thing.  Two days later, it hits Caiden (in the middle of the night).  And just for fun, he never once got it in the bowl. Next to it, down the side, up and over it, but never IN THE BOWL.

Finally get rid of the stomach flu.

Finally get Preston to not be terrified of his bed. 

Then, guess who starts waking up in the night FREAKING OUT that we are not in the chair next to his bed playing lullaby's like we were when he fell asleep????  Honestly felt like I had a newborn all over again.  Up and up again numerous times in the night trying to get Preston to go BACK to sleep and STAY asleep.  Couldn't let him cry it out because then he'd wake Paige in the next room who needs to go to school.  We're so friggin tired at this point that either Casey or I end up sleeping in the bed in his room.  But not really sleeping as he'd still wake up and not calm down until he heard our voice and knew we were there.  As soon as he heard us he'd lay right down and go to sleep.  This went on for days until we contemplated the idea of putting him up for sale again.  (And again, not really joking.)

Meanwhile, Paige starts barfing in the night.  But not like the stomach flu.  Once a night (a few hours after she'd go to bed) she'd barf.  Every.Single.Night.  And the throw up itself was different - not liquidy, just chunks and chunks of food - TMI, sorry.  She's not at all feeling sick.  No stomach ache.  No fever.  Totally fine.  (Other than the nightly barfing, that is).  Did I mention that every time she'd barf and come to get me Preston would wake up? Oh the INSANITY!!!!!  I just wanted to scream EVERYBODY GO TO SLEEP, STAY ASLEEP, AND QUIT BARFING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, I call the doctor and they say it sounds like Paige has acid reflux and to elevate her mattress and give her tums.  This helps, but not always.  She would still occasionally barf in the night, followed by Preston waking up. Followed by me walking around like a sleep-deprived zombie who does nothing but wash barfy sheets and blankets all the living long day.

Next up - Caiden.gets.the.stomach.flu.  AGAIN!!  Double the barfy sheets and blankets, triple the sleep deprivation.

Casey and I are dying, literally DYING here people!!!!

Finally Caiden gets better.

Paige only barfs occasionally.

But we've totally created a monster by staying in the room until Preston falls asleep (though, in our defense, it was the ONLY thing that worked - and trust me we tried EVERYTHING!) and now we have to break him of this habit.  But can't really let him cry it out......unlessssssss.....he's in the bedroom on the other side of the house where no one can hear him.  Don't judge me.  If you had my dark under-eye circles, you'd do it too.

So the bedroom switching begins.  Along with a sound machine, all-night long baby lullaby machine, and 2 night-lights.  And lo and behold, the boy is SLEEPING!!!!  And NAPPING!!!

AND, Paige is on medication for her reflux.  No more barfing!!!!

Glory be Hallelujah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Let's all pray it will last longer than the next two weeks....