Making Time

Sleep has become a high priority for me these days. I hate to sound so selfish and shallow, but it's true. I've gotten almost desperate on this subject. I've considered, amongst other options, drugging my child, drugging myself, finding a neighbor with a guest bedroom that is unoccupied or even going on a girl's weekend away just so I could sleep the entire time. Can't you see it now? "Hello, Milan! Hello, hotel bed!" I didn't claim I was going for life of the party, I just said sleep. Point being (did I say I had a point? I'm too tired to know ...) that if I'm giving up any possibility of sleep these days, it had better be for a particularly good reason. And it's amazing to me how my concept of "good reason" has shrunk rapidly.

Last week my husband wanted to go on a date. This is probably the first time since we've been dating that my husband has suggested a date. He planned what we were going to do and found a babysitter. I felt like going on a date about as much as I felt like shooting myself. Then I thought about my sister and all the times that she is tired and still goes on a date with her husband. It's all about fostering relationship, right? Doesn't it figure that as we snuggled up in the back row of the theatre, a very lonely gentleman took the seat near us and began chatting happily away. So much for our first evening alone. Despite this, we still had a wonderful time. And it was good to have that time for just us.

This past Monday we took advantage of the three-day weekend to take Gabriel to see his first snow. We figured there's not a lot of babies who can say their first snow was on Mount Etna. On the way up we managed to take a bit of a detour through one or two small towns, but eventually we got to the top. A short visit indeed. Gabriel wasn't much of a fan of the snow and cold blowing in his face. Our outing consisted of a few snapped pictures and back into the car for the drive home. Again, despite this, I'm so glad I went.


They may not be important moments in the grand scheme of things, but they're awfully important to me. I want to know that we took the time to foster our relationship and capture some special moments even while we were floundering around trying to figure out parenting. Making time is worth missing a little sleep.

A Little Bit of Laughter

I heard my son laugh for the first time the other day. I have no idea why he was laughing or how to get him to do it again, but it was amazing. Some days I have days like today. For one reason or another (and no, we have yet to figure out what triggers this) my son decides he doesn't want to sleep. He took half a morning nap, no afternoon nap and spent most of the day being cranky. Finally, about 2:30 this afternoon, he fell asleep in my arms. Everything that I've been trying to instill in my son about good sleeping habits went out the window right then as I balanced it against my son actually getting some much needed sleep. For two and a half hours I just sat there watching him sleep. My back ached. I was tired. My son slept. And somehow, the fact that I was uncomfortable really didn't matter. I know this sounds cliche, but it's also the truth. For those two and a half hours, I just sat there watching that sweet little face and thanking God for my precious baby boy. I thought about that darling little laugh of his and the sweet smile I get when he's actually slept. And I thought how one day I would be so grateful for that time holding my son in my arms.