10 February 2012

Unintentional Before and After

I took this photo yesterday.
This morning, this is what they looked like, except even droopier.  I added water and half an hour later they started to perk up, but they were all so sorry looking with their heads resting on the table.
It's been a long week.  I emailed Ryan one morning, "I'm so tired I could cry."  And maybe I did. There is a big discrepancy in how things look here and how I feel this week.  It's not all baby's breath and Rice Krispies Treats here, in case that was the misconception.  I know life seems worse than it truly is when sleep deprivation is involved, but in the midst of it all, it feels heavy.  I have successfully prepared dinner each night.  That's kind of something, isn't it?  And I'm about finished with a sewing project that is so simple, yet seemed heavy and hard.
And I have many of you to thank for my new sinfully rich, creamy perfection of an indulgent comfort food.  I had two yesterday.  One so far today, with more waiting in the wings, just in case.  It makes things not only look more like the first photo, but feel that way as well.  Reconciliation between the two is nice.
post script: somehow body sneeze was left off the last post.
it needed to be posted.

36 comments:

  1. sleep deprivation led to many a tearful morning for me. Right now its a little like that, except its because I am sick and not sleeping. You have a gang of kids. I would say that dinner and sewing is a pretty good success rate for the day!

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  2. If your blog is any indication, you are an incredible mom and wife! Dinner everynight is just bonus.

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  3. Tulips just do that! They keep growing even after they are cut. If you put a piece of copper in it they will stand back up. You just need a penny that is old enough that it is still made of copper. :)

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  4. Makes me think of a wedding we went to last Christmas. The bride carried a bouquet of tulips. Made me so so sad. They used sleep deprivation in concentration camps honey, There are so many things that I know you can let go of. But savoring the moments with a newborn...... they come and go so quickly. As long as people are dressed and fed you are doing just fine. Nap when the baby is napping-seriously. Big Mama hugs.

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  5. I don't get dinner made every night even during good weeks... Hang in there. I'm sure you're doing awesome. Sleep deprivation make everything hard.

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  6. The dinner thing is big! More than most moms can do, without newborns.

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  7. Oh, you are all so kind about dinner. One night it was macaroni&cheese...from a box.

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  8. Oh I know the feeling all too well. My poor little Veda had horrible reflux and kept me up hourly until she was about 9 months old, she's 10 months old now btw so we're just starting to recover. You are a superhero for getting dinner made every night. During my sleep deprivation most dinners were cereal or sandwiches, maybe a crockpot meal, and the only other kid I had a home was a 3year old.

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  9. Oh Katy. I had no idea how tired you were. I am so so sorry. :( Wish I could step in and help so you could nap!

    My favorite "I'm so tired it hurts" dinner is cold cut sandwiches and cut up fruit. :) My oldest often says, "lunch for dinner again!?" Well...yes my child. :) Take it or leave it because I can't do anymore than this. At least it's mostly balanced!

    I think my blog seems a lot happier than I feel some weeks too. I will pray for you to get sleep! I really feel for you and admire your ability to share how you feel in a such a lovely way, even when it's bad news.

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  10. oh, dear, I know it all so well... I´m a mother of 6, too... 5 girls and one boy..and there are so many nights with only a few hours of sleep and at the moment too many days with a 2 year old toddler, who need me every minute she`s awake... I feel with you.. and, I know, it`s easy to say, but it becomes better... and I´m not managing to have such a cute blog.
    Elisabeth

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  11. Lack of sleep is hideous! Try and do less during the day for a while and rest a bit. The house won't be a mess forever. Be kind to yourself.

    As for the tulips, I remember something about lying them in a bath of cold water to perk them up again. Could have been another flower but don't think it will do any harm trying.

    Best of luck for a restful weekend! You are so amazing, don't be super mum for a few more years.

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  12. katy, our baby was such an awful sleeper (she's about a month younger than drummer). i was doing all kinds of research and finally read about taking her to the chiropractor. (maybe i've left this comment before?). anyway, the difference was pretty dramatic. it really helped... both of us!

    your tulip illustration was perfect! i loved it.

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  13. I am super impressed you made dinner every night this week! I can't even cross that off my list. :) Love the first picture and the last picture and things will get easier! (PS I'm the same way when I get tired and I only have one little to take care of).

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  14. Oh I so know how you feel. When our eldest was just a baby he was just kind of taped to my body. If he was not with me, he would cry and cry and cry.... so for nine months or so I felt like I could not take a step without him. And I was so, so, so tired.

    It all turned out good ofcourse and looking back it seems such a short time on a life time, but when you are in the middle of it it seems like it is taking forever.

    It's a phase
    It's a phase
    It's a phase

    Saying that like mantra helped me sometimes *grin*

    And you are cooking dinner and are keeping a blog. As far as I am concerned you are basically performing superhero tasks.

    Hang in there! x

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  15. Oh, the heavy tired . . . so hard. I'm right there with you right now. It will get better!

    Dinner every night is a huge accomplishment, and I don't know how long it's been up 'cause I don't always click through from my reader, but your new blog header looks great, too!

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  16. Oh yes... the way things look and the way I feel usually don't go hand in hand... sleep deprivation is a mean thing... So sorry you're going through it! The little man is pretty adorable in spite of it! :D Love the new blog header! Hang in there!

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  17. Heavy is the perfect way to describe sleep deprivation. Our oldest daughter didn't sleep through then night until her 5th birthday. The second she did, I dropped 15 lbs. So, literally...heavy. My pediatrician always says his worst sleepers are his smartest patients. Busy, busy minds.

    And I agree...the hard weeks when I only manage to get dinner on the table and maybe 1 other thing? I'm all about congratulating myself (and closing my eyes when I pass the laundry room).

    Hoping rest is in your future...

    Lori from Indiana

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  18. I don't comment often, but us moms have to stick together. Hang in there, this phase will end and you will eventually feel rested again.

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  19. add some gin to your tulips and they should perk back up =)

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  20. Sleep deprivation makes everything worse. I was having such a hard time last week that my husband ordered me to take a nap before I tried to do one single thing more. Needless to say, it really helped. You have to take care of yourself before you can take care of anyone else.

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  21. about 2 or 3 pennies at the bottom of you vase will keep your tulips from drooping down - i swear!!

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  22. it HAS been a long week. i agree. hope you get some good sleep and feel more like your "after" tulips very soon. take care.

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  23. Katy, there is a reason sleep deprivation is a recognised form of torture! It brings you way down and into survival mode. Just pretend the kids are camping - mac & cheese in a box is a luxury then!

    I hope things perk up very soon and in the meantime you get heaps of support from your Team.

    x

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  24. try a pin prick straight through the stem right below the flower head. My mum taught me this trick and it keeps my tulips upright.
    xxxooo and much sympathy for the sleep deprivation.

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  25. I think you are amazing! My baby was born in June and I consider myself having a good week if I manage to make dinner more than once. Hugs and have agood cry from once an a while.

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  26. Katy, reading this, my heart is heavy for you. We have all been there, or are there right now. You are not alone. Celebrate the accomplishments and lean heavily on Him. He will give you what you need each day, daily bread. Manna... always enough, but never too much. Hugs from nashville.

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  27. i know you're blogging about something but all i can hear is a cute sneeze. my momma always said, "be proud of your sneezes" :>)

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  28. Oh those photos of drummer just make me want to get way better at taking photos! Just gorgeous...breathtaking really.

    Sorry you are having a heavy week! Sometimes babies just mean being tired don't they? Hopefully the weekend perked you up a bit!

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  29. I'm so sorry.
    My worst sleep deprivation day came when I ran a red light while driving carpool for preschool. It didn't register that the light was red and what red meant until I was in the middle of the intersection with a van full of preschoolers. With some divine intervention somehow the van snaked through on two wheels the two semi trucks coming at me from right and left. I finally decided it was time for me to ask for help.

    For so long I prayed for more sleep and/or for him to sleep more but it seemed like it didn't work or if I got a little more sleep it didn't make a difference.
    Then I changed my prayers and asked for what sleep I was getting to be enough.
    For some reason that made all the difference.

    Good luck. I know it's hard and heavy. I'm so sorry.

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  30. Sleep deprivation can kill you. Literally. Forget waterboarding. They should just move straight onto bring in a new born and all the secrets would be spilled. Wish I could come help some how. What sewing project did you finish? I love the tulips as a metaphor. Glad you are posting so we can offer support. Take good care and hang in. You know it gets better. It just feels like it may never...
    Tasha

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  31. Poor you! Get all the help you can get, seriously! I am horrible at this, but that's the only thing that helps, really. Have someone looking after your girls for a cpuple hours to nap with your boy. Don't be shy to ask, people will feel privileged if you allow them to help!

    A chiropractor helped my firstborn, too. Not my second though, she just cried for 6 months ...

    And btw, dinner in Germany usually means cold cut sandwiches. Nothing wrong with that, we make healthy babies too :-)

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  32. {{hugs}}

    Thanks for sharing so openly. It helps me realize that everyone has challenges. I always look at you and think, how does she do it? I feel like I'm drowning at times with only 2.

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  33. I never comment on your blog, but I really had to this time. I absolutely relate right now. Everyone thinks my life is so perfectly held together, but it's not. From the outside my home and kids do look like everything is just peachy. I homeschool my kids...six of them. The oldest is going to be nine in April. My baby is going to be 2 then. I managed to get pregnant last fall when we were trying to NOT get pregnant. The Lord evidently has other plans for me. :) Some days it feels like I am drowning and other days are just fantastic. My life WAS together and happy most of the time until I got pregnant. Such a game changer..haha...at least I can laugh about it sometimes now. All I can say is hang in there. In the day to day when things are hard life sure does drag so slowly by, but anytime I really look at my kids I realize just how swiftly time is passing. It's my reminder to be ok with the way life is and try to not get upset when all I manage to do that day is survive and put food on the table. :) Being a mother is such a beautiful, exhilarating, exhausting, fantastic job every single day. Sometimes all we can do is hang on for dear life and try to find the joy the Lord puts into our life each day. It's there somewhere, we just have to find it.

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  34. That yogurt could make anyone's day a little sweeter! My favorite right now is coconut with mini chocolate chips mixed in. Oh, and lemon with pomegranate seeds. Makes me want some just writing about it!

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  35. I am in the smae boat as you... my little guy is 6 months. I think I didn't know to go to the toilet, eat, or sleep when he napped... someone suggested all three at once!!

    Lets hang in there... I have heard its worth it! =)

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