Wednesday, March 14, 2012

The War of the Quilt

The second most valuable thing to any mama is her sleep. First of course is her babies and family. But a very close second is sleep. When I was pregnant with Paige, I had a hard time sleeping. If my husband rolled over, breathed heavy or made any noise or movement of any kind for that matter, I would wake up. And of course that would make me mad. And so of course I would lash out.{Remember when I told my husband he "sleeps like an idiot!"? Not my finest moment... but I was prego. Blame the hormones! http://sweetleighmama.blogspot.com/2009/10/pregos-saythe-darndest-things.html}

When I was prego with Deacon I could sleep - but only in a very specific set of parameters. I decided our mattress was the worst thing in the world, and so I could only sleep on the bed in the guest room. I also decided that every sheet, blanket and comforter we owned was terrible, uncomfortable, and I didn't want them anywhere near me. All except a single quilt my mom had given me.

And even though I delivered the Big D close to 9 months ago and have moved back into sleeping in the master bedroom on the mattress I used to refer to as "evil" - I haven't been able to kick my quilt habit. I cannot fall asleep at night unless I am under my most favorite quilt, with no other blankets touching me. A little OCD, I know. But if it means a good night's sleep, then I'll do whatever it takes. And because this particular quilt is the only thing that I can sleep under, it is understandable that I am extremely protective of it.

Well - understandable to me... not so understandable to my husband. The caveat is that he's not allowed to sleep under my quilt - I guess I forgot to mention that? : ) And it's not because I don't want him close to me - it's because he steals it during the middle of the night. At some point every single night since I've known him, he rolls over in this sleep, wrapping himself up like a eggroll in any blanket, sheet - or quilt - in reach. And there I'm left - exposed to the elements... up sleep's creek without my quilt. So he's been banned from touching my quilt. Lenni LuLu (the dog) has also been banned from sleeping in, on or under my quilt {Yes, we somehow got roped in to co-sleeping with the dog - http://sweetleighmama.blogspot.com/2011/01/whats-up-with-co-sleeping.html} For obvious reasons, the quilt has become a point of contention every single night - so much so that he one day said, "That quilt is the root of all evil!" LOL! That is how serious this quilt issue has become.

Except the other night when Daniel wasn't feeling good and he went up to bed early. When I went up a few hours later... lo and behold - Daniel was sleeping like a baby under none other than MY QUILT! The same quilt he referred to as "evil" just a few nights before. He must have heard me come into the bedroom and woke up a little bit. When I climbed in bed and tried to reclaim the quilt, he said the most unbelievable statement: "This is the most comfortable quilt I have ever slept under in my life! I have never slept so well as I do under this quilt! Now I understand your obsession with it... maybe it's not so evil after all..." and he fell back asleep. Curled up, with the quilt wrapped around him like a burrito.

So now I am forced to share my beloved quilt every night. But it's not without a few swift kicks and elbows to the ribs if he tries to take more than his fair share. All is fair in love and sleep.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Cranio Schmanio: D's Sagittal Synostosis Repair

The big guy 4 months after his surgery!
Quick update: I've created a page on Sweet Leigh Mama dedicated to D's craniosynostosis journey. I've talked (aka emailed) with a lot of families going through a similar circumstance, and I wanted to make sure it was easy for you all to find my posts on the topic. I made sure to include links to all my craniosynostosis posts (in chronological order), as well as before and after the sagittal synostosis repair surgery pictures and info on Deacon's fabulous doctors - Dr. Barun Brahma and Dr. Fernando Burstein.

http://sweetleighmama.blogspot.com/p/our-journey-into-craniosynostosis.html

If you'd like more details on the experience, feel free to email me at sweetleighmama@gmail.com

xoxo,
Erica (Deacon's proud mama and biggest fan)

Mama Bear Moment: Too Smart For Strangers with Winnie the Pooh

You've heard of a "wolf in sheep's clothing"? Well I'm a rabid wilderbeast/ mama bear / vigilante bounty hunter in a "normal mama's" clothing. By day I am the happy, smiley mama everyone knows and loves... but if provoked, this mama bear will not hesitate to go buck wild on your booty. And just like any mama bear, the one thing that will make me lose my mind in .2 seconds is if my children - or any child for that matter - is threatened or in danger. Remember these gems?

"Can you turn your back for a second so I can take your child?" http://sweetleighmama.blogspot.com/2011/04/ill-snatch-your-kid.html

Anxiety-inducing Law and Order: SVU episodes and other movies/TV shows involving hurt children (including the missing baby panda on Wonder Pets) http://sweetleighmama.blogspot.com/2011/05/i-just-may-be-turning-into-helicopter.html

Protecting our precious babies in a scary scary world http://sweetleighmama.blogspot.com/2010/03/mama-bear-moment.html

So every once in a while something happens that makes me so scared, so panicked, so bat-poop crazy that it sticks with me forever and I feel nauseous every time I think at what could have happened. The other day Miss Paige made a jail-break from nana and papa's apartment. Six adults wrangling the four kids, and Miss Paige still managed to walk over to the front door, unlock the deadbolt, and walk into the breezeway - without any of us realizing it for a few seconds! At the time it was kind of funny that she did that. But after a few hours, it hit me how serious that could have been. How quickly things can go bad. How if the wrong person had been walking through that breezeway... I can't even go there... Those "what if's" can drive me nuts... but they are good reminders of the need to remain vigilant in keeping those precious kiddos in my sight at all times.

Growing up my sister and I were obsessed with watching Winnie the Pooh: Too Smart for Strangers. The VHS tapes seems to have disappeared, and according to Amazon the DVD of it costs close to $70 (it is considered vintage... REALLY?!). But lucky for all our cutie patooties, I was able to find the full movie of Winnie the Pooh: Too Smart for Strangers of YouTube. Yay for modern technology... and possible piracy? Hope it's legal : ) Sorry in advance if it's not...

So now.. for the viewing pleasure of all you mama bears and your precious cubs... I present Winnie the Pooh: Too Smart for Stranger (split into three parts). Dated? Yes. But we've got to start educating our children about staying safe at some point... and I think this is a good place to start. Enjoy!