Sunshine

I've been trying to remind myself to see the sunny side of things of late, especially since I was all alone caring for both kids while Mando was in Vegas for the past week. That's fourteen nap times (they nap at separate times, so it's fighting to get them to sleep, then fighting to keep one quiet while the other one hopefully sleeps), seven bedtimes (again, separately), seven bath times (ditto), I-can't-do-the-math diaper changes and meal times and umpteen screaming and bribing cycles in stores, in the car, etc. Reni hit his head, like, twelve thousand times (god I hope he grows up smart despite the beatings he's taking here thanks to a bit of neglect and his big sister's attempts at play). Then there was the evening when Anika played in her own poop (again: pull-ups plus numero dos = BAD idea). One night I worked from 6 p.m. until 10:45 p.m. to get the kids to sleep. And try -- just try -- to explain to a two-year-old to wait while you spend an hour or more putting her brother to sleep. She got really good at pounding on the door and screaming. Parenting is not for sissies. The nights were the most difficult -- my easiest night I was up three times (including an hour with Reni); the hardest night was when the kids had me up 12 times between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. I was in pure survival mode, fueled mostly by coffee and whatever food was left on Anika's plate, as who the heck actually has time to eat what's on my own plate? I think I had one hour to myself the entire time. I wish I were exaggerating. Again, parenting is not for sissies. I'm not sure how single parents actually survive.

There were bright moments, of course, and the kids have grown and changed a lot just in this week. I didn't take many pictures, but thought this morning reading time was worth documenting (check out Ani's impressive bed-head volume):

Reni is getting his two front teeth (veeeeeerrrry slowly), so trying to keep him comfortable without reaching for the ibuprofin every 6 hours has been difficult. He is also turning into an eating monster: on Monday, he ate cereal with banana, two teething biscuits, half a quesadilla, lasagna, chicken, sweet potatoes and white beans, and more than a few handfuls of cheerios. Plus he nursed four times in 24 hours. This kid can EAT I tell you! I was working off the theory that he wakes up because he's hungry, and I may be on to something, as that night he slept better than the night before.

Miss Anika is always hungry, too, but she hardly ever eats her food, which perpetuates the problem and leaves little bowls of snacks living all over the house. She will ask for food at 2 a.m. just to see if you'll take her to the kitchen and make her something to eat, which in an act of desperation I admit to doing the other evening. She didn't touch the food, even though I knew she was hungry. Maddening, I tell you. She then made up for it by requesting that we sing "You Are My Sunshine" to lull her back to sleep. She knows most of the words (or mimics what she thinks they sound like), and even tries to sing highs and lows (her extreme octave jump on "Yoooou make me hap-PEEE" just gets me giggling every time).