Probably a shortish entry today. I have a few other things I want to do, and I can already feel my brain-power draining as the evening inches toward my bedtime. S is away for the night again. This time it's literally just the night. She will probably be back before I get up tomorrow. She went to help out some friends of hers who just had a baby. She agreed -- actually, she volunteered -- to take an overnight nanny shift so that they can get some sleep. Now, that is being a good friend.
As I understand it, this couple really needs the help. Their entire journey to get this kid has been a struggle. They went through multiple rounds of IVF, and when that failed, over the course of several years, they got an egg donor. Then the baby came out premature and super tiny. They had to keep him in the NICU for a while after he was born, and although I don't think it ever got super serious, it was definitely worrisome. Then when they finally got to take him home, it was in the middle of quarantine, so nobody was available to help out, and given how (understandably) worried they were about his health, they didn't want any outsiders coming in, anyway. So, it was all on them for a while -- like, totally all on them. Also, they're both in their 40s (the guy might even be 50), which isn't a huge deal, but I think it does matter a little bit -- energy levels and whatnot.
S has been dying to see this kid since he arrived and she's now fully vaxxed and I'm sure the couple appreciates the help, so it's wins all around. And I have to say, she's a better person than me to stay the night. I certainly don't mind helping out, but I'm more of a during-the-day type of guy. How about a nap? Naps are nice. I can give you a nap.
Which reminds me: I do not miss those awake-at-all-hours stretches of new parenthood. We had it easier than most couples, because S's mom stayed with us for several months immediately after each of our kids was born, and it was still really difficult. Plus, it's not like the kids were perfectly sleep trained when she left. It was years before they would let us sleep through the night -- and even now it's hit-or-miss with Lil' S2. Sometimes he will wake up in the middle of the night and just start screaming for S -- or in the morning, he will climb into bed with me and just roll around restlessly. I'm like, "C'mon, dude. I got an hour left until I need to get up -- a whole hour -- please leave me in peace." And then he will say, "no," and roll around some more.
But such mornings are getting further and further apart. Soon they won't exist at all, and I will wonder where all the time has gone, and lament the fact they are gone. Nah... probably not. I really like sleeping in the morning.
Until next time...
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