Please! Can I have some?
Funny story: Kristien wanted to make his grandparents a traditional English dinner tonight. So he went out and bought them lovely cuts of lamb with fresh mint sauce. Now, he hasn’t cooked meat in nearly four years, and I think he was a bit flustered by getting such an involved and elaborate dinner on the table.
I sat down at my seat and discovered this on my plate… Somehow the vegetarians ended up with plain broccoli and plain grilled tofu. That’s it. Hah.
I heated up some curry. 
Much better! (I hear the lamb turned out well, though!)
And yes, the pups got to eat the lamb leftovers. Lucky pups.
Oh, friends. Being a mommy was a tiring (and trying) experience today. We’d been doing so well with our sleep training but really got out of a routine over the weekend, and we are all now paying the price.
The Baby Whisperer says standing in a dark closet will help a crying baby calm down. Guess what? It does. Kind of. Now that I think about it… it actually might help the adult more than the baby.
If you had a rough day, too, I just wanted to let you know that you can do it. Isn’t that nice to hear someone say every now and then? I know I really appreciate it… so… you can do it. Whatever it is! Whatever you’re up against. Nap wars, complicated dinners, work battles, mountains of bills. If you’re reading this, you’ve got it.
And if all else fails… head to the closet. Sing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. And repeat.
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{ 44 comments… read them below or add one }
Haha! If I go in my closet and sing I might never come out. I feel like the men in the white coats might come and get me! Work battles are my issue right now so thanks for the encouraging words. BTW – What is on the table in front of your plate with the screen?
Baby monitor
We have done this in our bathroom and it works but as soon as we leave the room (unless bebe is sleeping) they start to fuss again
You are right! It is very good to hear that every once in a while. Back at ya! Another good one to hear is, “you are a good mom.” Some days you just need someone to remind you.
Thank you for sharing.
After many hours of battling I finally decided to sleep on the nursery floor last night until my youngest fell asleep. I’m eight months pregnant. Ouch.
Parents unite!! These times are so difficult and sad and we need to hear that we’re not alone more often!
Twinkle, twinkle.
with my second baby I didnt run to her the second she cried from the get go. If i was unloading the dishwasher and she started crying, I finished first quickly then got her. I think it helped her learn to self soothe a lot. I found daytime melded into nighttime more than I realized it would too so she self soothes at night very well too…poor first children, all the learning is done on them!
You can do it, Caitlin! You are doing a wonderful job so hang in there.
It’s okay to head into the closet or it’s okay to sing Twinkle Twinkle? And is it actually okay if you don’t have kids or babies? I guess I would fall under the “mountain of bills” or if you start another topic of “moving back in with your parents.” I’ve got that down…err, kinda.
Hang in there: From one new mom to another-you’re doing an AWESOME job!
I don’t understand these babies that fight sleep: I’d LOVE a mid afternoon nap!!
Thanks for your words of encouragement! I had a rough day with my 9 month old who is teething, has some sort of cold with a runny nose and a cough. Oh and he woke up like 6 times last night
so he was super cranky today and we both barely made it. But through it All I really felt awful because I know he’s really not feeling good and there’s not a ton I can do about it 
here’s hoping for a better tomorrow!
Rough day here too…must be in the air. Crying from my 22 month and 4 month old all day. We finally packed up, and went for a LONG walk. Both kiddies were sleeping in no time and this mommy had time to take in the QUIET.
Just remember all the good days totally make up for these rough ones! One day we will look back and wish we could live these ones over again and again
Cheers
Oh my gosh, I am so with you on the nap wars (and bedtime wars…). I haven’t tried the closet thing, but maybe that will be my next trick. However, I am convinced that I can’t outsmart my baby.
I feel the same way! Sometimes I just know he smells the lack of confidence on me and that gets him worked up. He’s like, woman, why can’t you get me to sleep can’t you tell I’m tired!!! Massive nap warrior, that one is.
I did, however, look into my deep, dark closet yesterday and contemplated pulling the pack and play in there at one point. Might have actually worked!
We had a tough time sleeping today too: (
Just remember that this too shall pass. It is so hard being a mommy of an infant, but it will get easier and you are doing a wonderful job.
Im sorry caitlin. I had to laugh because i spent a half hour in the closet this weekend doing the same thing. And on that note…a screaming baby is trying to get my attention. Good luck! Hope tomorrow gets better!
Love this. I just might have to try singing in the closet…and I don’t even have a baby!
Thanks for the encouragement, Caitlin! Wishing you a wonderful week & good sleep!!!
I SO needed to hear that. A new semester started today and I’m taking three classes towards my MBA… with a new baby (8 weeks old) and maternity leave that runs out in a few weeks meaning I’ll be back to work too. Gah. But, I’ve got this! And anyway, submitting 16 pages of case analyses every weeks sounds infinitely easier than getting my baby to successfully nap. I’ll be trying the closet trick tomorrow…
Thanks for the reminder/confidence-booster.
I’d love to sit in a dark closet to calm down, but unfortunately my closet here at school has no door…
But I’ve recently discovered the Quiet Place and the Make Everything OK Button. They’re pretty great. I might end up in the Quiet Place a lot of nights… The Thoughts Room is pretty great, too.
Sometimes you definitely just need to hear that it will be ok and you are doing a good job…that you will get through it. Helps to feel like you aren’t the only one going through a rough time.
You can do it, Caitlin!
Our sons are a week apart so I understand completely what you are going through most days. I was blessed with a self soother at night but nap time is a whole.nother.ball.game! Today we went to run errands because I knew he would sleep in the car. You’re really doing a great job, even on the hard days!!
Thank you! I always need reassuring too! I’m actually feeling better already… :- )
I think you were writing just for me today. . . sigh. We are on week 3 of sleep training but are adjusting our methods since we have/will be out of town every other weekend until end of October. Wow. We were two weeks into sleep training before our first trip and I didn’t realize just how much travels screws up and progress made. Double sigh. I guess the timing of sleep training wasn’t ideal on my part. Oh well. . . live and learn.
I am trying REALLY hard not to be frustrated. Clara has naps down well and goes to bed easily but it is the constant waking at night that is NOT getting any better. We put her to bed at 9pm, she’s up crying at 9:45, then we get her to sleep and she’s up crying at 10:30pm, etc etc. All. Night. Long. I keep telling myself that eventually she WILL get there but geez. . .. the girl is nearly 5 months old.
Anyways, I needed this post today!! Thanks!
Definitely needed to hear this today—thank you! Career Wars going on ova here!
so good to hear that. just woke up from a pretty bad night of sleep with my baby & my patience is wearing thin. definitely going to try to take a nap today.
Thank you for that encouraging message! But please don’t encourage me to stand in my closet singing lullabies to my childless self! LOLOL I might try it just for the freaked out look on my husband’s face when he hears it.
When I was little I remember going so sit in my dark closet if I was really upset and didn’t want to be bothered! Didn’t last long though because it was a very small closet…
Caitin, thank you for the pep talk. I had a hell of a day yesterday and basically wanted to just go back to bed for most of it. But I pushed through and got the most out of it. I hardly ever comment, but I read everyday and you are doing a great job. As a mom, as a blogger, as the head of a really beautiful supportive community. We got this for realz. Thanks for reminding me that singing nursery rhymes is always an option!
I was just telling my husband how I love/hate weekends. Love to spend time with my husband and family, hate when baby gets off her routine!
Also, I have that baby monitor, and it is worth every penny!
Caitlin – did you or do you drink alcohol while still feeding Henry breast milk? Like during his first say two and a half weeks of life, did you drink alcohol at least every other day?
Why ar you wondering? There are lots of good online resources to guide you in making the decision on whether to drink and how to balance it with BFing. It is not absolutely contraindicated at all.
I was reading another blog of a gal who is representing a major insurance company as a role model parent, and I noticed she’s having alcohol at least every other day since her child was born. I didn’t know if this was the new norm? My little one is 23 now, but I remember thinking years ago that drinking with a newborn was the last thing I’d want to do. You seem like a really responsible blogger, so just wondering your opinion.
I know you are referring to Kath and I also know she stated numerous times in her comments section that she has spoken with her doctors about it and are using their feedback as guidelines. Like I said before alcohol and bfing are not contraindicated so even if you would do things differently, she is not necessarily doing anything harmful.
Caitlin, I’m not out to pass judgement, I simply asked if you, as one of the more conscientious bloggers I follow, drank whilst breastfeeding. All I wanted was a yes or no. Sorry I’ve upset you.
You didn’t upset me at all. Yes, I have drank while breastfeeding because my doctor has also okay the practice, as long you do it intelligently.
Hang in there! It gets better. My son loved to fall asleep to ocean sounds and soft music. It was like the baby whisperer for him.
It will all be fine! Hang in there!
I’m sure a million people will say this today, but seriously, thanks for the boost. I woke up after a night of work dread induced teeth grinding totally stressed and out of sorts. I am of course still totally under water, BUT, at least I had a quick smile over breakfast.
Aw feel better!
Ugh! We had a rough day yesterday too!! You aren’t alone!
One thing I found helpful in those moments was a change in scenery. Often times if you just walk outside they will stop crying because something is new and they are focused on that. Worth a shot!
Sleep training is essential for you and baby way to go on that!
Thank you Emily!
Totally off-topic question, but do your grandparents-in-law watch Coronation Street?
I come from a family of six kids…now that I have two of my own, I really don’t know how my mom did it! I remember once at dinner time (which were very chaotic…she started crying and ran out of the house)…we all looked at each other like she was crazy and continued on with our dinner
I now apologize to her every chance I get…I feel like running out of the house at least once a week!