The Longest Week Ever

This has been the longest week ever. Seriously. Joe has been busy, Lily has been sick, and I have been tired/impatient/frustrated/fill-in-your-favorite-negative-emotion-here. 


Joe has been super busy. This year he was invited to join one of the journals at school (kind of a big deal in the law school world). This week he had his first kind of big assignment due for it. So he has been working until midnight just about every night since last Wednesday. I saw him sometimes for breakfast and sometimes for dinner, but not usually both. It sounds like it has been a fun project to work on, but I sure have missed him. And not just for his baby-sleep-inducing skills. We have a lot of fun together and I have missed chatting about whatever and laughing at our ridiculous daughter. 


Lily has been sick. As I posted on facebook, Lily has been on the BRAT diet all week. I was starting to get worried about her being dehydrated so we even made a trip to the doctor. As of yesterday, things are looking up. But for the previous five days, oh man was she a wreck. Unless she was a) asleep, b) eating a popsicle, or c) in the bathtub, she was i) crying, ii) screaming, iii) hitting and throwing things at me, or iv) all of the above. For five days. Poor little critter. She seemed to rally when other people were around so we spent a good deal of time visiting grandparents.


Two things have been particularly difficult during this week: eating and sleep. Lily is used to eating whatever Joe and I are eating, just cut up smaller or with a teeny less spice in it. So it was killing her to see us eating regular food and her having to force down another banana or some more applesauce. When it's just me I've been trying not to eat other things in front of her so she doesn't feel so bad, and if I never see another banana again that would be ok with me. Sleeping has been an issue because we can't give her a bottle of milk at bedtime. Instead, I have to lie down with her and she nurses until she falls asleep. Then I very carefully try to creep out of bed without waking her up. This works fifty percent of the time. This means that I haven't been able to keep up with the nightly household chores like I usually do adding to my general state of unease. 


I have been tired/impatient/frustrated/fill-in-your-favorite-negative-emotion-here. Last week I only worked on Wednesday so I've had Lily full-time for most of the week. And I mean 24-7 full-time. It's been really draining to not have a moment alone. I am a true introvert in the sense that I draw my energy from and am refreshed by spending time alone. I like people, I like socializing, but what I need to feel relaxed and calm is some time alone. Usually to clean. I have really come to cherish the two hours after Joe takes over in the evenings and my couple of days at work each week. 


I feel like I haven't had a chance to collect my thoughts and that forces me to think as I lie in bed and that keeps me up and that makes me tired and then I can't exercise the next day because I'm too tired and then I'm more anxious and I still can't clean anything. This is the downward spiral I end up in. Not good. 


But it's almost done. At this moment I'm thankful for family nearby, doctors on call, and Mott's 100% Juice No Sugar Added Ice Pops. I'm looking forward to work tomorrow and camping for the first time with Lily this weekend. Lily is feeling better, I went for a run this morning, we decorated for Halloween, and in a few hours Joe will be home again.