1000 sleepless nights

Momma I'm with you. When you're up at 12am and then again at 3am feeding a baby, rocking her in the quiet of the house, staring at her sweet fuzzy head.  Your eyelids droop and you nod off, hoping to catch just a few minutes.

Then you stagger back to bed, only to hear the whimpers of a 2 year old who needs a kiss, tucking them back in bed. You crawl back under the covers and pray for rest. 

And then 2 hours later you do it all again.

I've heard it said "the days (nights) are long but the years are short." And that feels so incredibly true. It feels as if I may never see a solid 8 or 9 hours of sleep again, and I am tired. Bone tired. 

 

I was listening to Laura Story's Blessings and I heard the verse "what if 1000 sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near..." And I had to laugh. 

In these tired, weary moments God is drawing me to Him. That I may draw my strength from Him (and coffee doesn't hurt either). The strength to weather the tantrums in my most tired state. The strength to cuddle and carry around a 14lb baby all day long who isn't feeling good. And the strength to be fun and engaging to a 2 year old who needs to know that even though there is this new person in the house, momma's love is still SO great for her. 

So tonight, when you're up tending to babies (or toddlers), and you are tired, and at the last string of your rope, know that you're not alone. Because at our house, Gods working on me, too. He's working in my heart, to prepare me to be the kind of mother for harder things ahead. 

And to prepare those blessings that only come through tears. The pearls that begin as little, irritating grains of sand in our Oysters. 

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" Matthew 11:28

 

Zipadee Zip Slumber Sacks: A Giveaway!

Here in the McWonderful house we have been desperate for sleep this week! Between a 3 month old who recently started rolling this way and that, and a 2.5 year old who needs "one more kiss and hug" every 30 minutes we are wiped.

So when the people at Sleeping Baby Inc. graciously shared their Zipadee-Zip Slumber Sack with us to try, I was thrilled!

The Zipadee-Zip (Or Zippy) is perfect for a baby who is going through swaddle transition who likes to bust out of her swaddle 800x a night. It's made of a soft cotton in a starfish-type design with adorable prints. The arms have a smidge of resistance, similar to swaddling to help with the startle reflex. 

You have to read their story: Stephanie and Brett, Christian entrepreneurs, created the entire concept to help their baby sleep through the night! And now their amazing company has spread by word of mouth alone. Truly wonderful!

It took a couple of nights for Nora to adjust to her new sleeping facility but now she is smitten with the Zippy. She will be fussing and crying for sleep, and I zip her up in the Zippy, and she is instantly happier and ready for a snooze.

Sometimes I can even set her down in the crib drowsy in her zippy and she falls asleep on her own. I also love that it keeps her little hands warm, because we keep our house a nice frigid 68 degrees. 

We are now converted Zipadee-Zip lovers in this house! 

The generous people over at Sleeping Baby want to share the love with you, too! 

To enter the giveaway, 

(1) LIKE Sleeping Baby on Facebook

and (2) Go to zipadeezip.comand pick out your favorite Zippadee-Zip design and post it in the comments section below! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can also use the $2 coupon code SLEEP if you would like to purchase a Zipadee-Zip but do not win the giveaway. 

Ready.....Go!

Nora 0-3 month favorites

I loved sharing my favorites with y'all the last time around, so here we go again:

one: k'tan. So helpful in the early days to give attention to a 2 year old and to still have arms available. I also used it the other day to carry a sleepy baby around the grocery store while pushing a cart full of groceries and a 2 year old in it. (And nobody cried. K'tan FTW.)

two: Boogie Wipes. Nora has had a clogged tear duct since she was born. I followed the recommended "warm wash cloth" for the first 200 or so swipes and then decided these would be a much easier solution. Great for eye "goopies" as we call them in our house.

three: stroller hook. I stole this one from a friend of mine after watching her grocery shop with her baby and a stroller and some reusable bags. It's perfect for hanging your bags to fill with groceries, OR a very clever way to make your toddler stay with the stroller, by holding on the handle. Lucy loves it!

four: Covered Goods Nursing Cover. I am in l-o-v-e with this nursing cover. It goes around you 360 degrees, which I find useful when nursing a baby while chasing a toddler at the park (no side boob flashes to other park goers.) It's lightweight and soft, and gorgeous. Can also be used to cover the carseat, as a grocery cart cover or a scarf. I actually left mine at the beach last weekend and nearly cried because I love it so.

five: Honest sunscreen. So I know the whole "Don't put sunscreen on your baby till they are 6 mo old" shpeal. But let's talk about real life with a toddler. Summer= pool + beach + park + everything outside. So after testing this completely organic and happy sunscreen on Nora's wrist and finding no reaction, I use it when necessary on all the things I cant cover up with clothes or a hat. Because sunscreen beats sunburn every day in my book. {Also, Costco has a 2-pack right now!}

So, there you have it!

What have your favorites been in 0-3 months with your first/second/third baby? I'd love to hear! (And possibly steal some more ideas.)

Lucy 2 month Favorites/ Lucy 3 month Favorites 

Red, White and Blue: Photo Dump

We spent the 4th of July at the beach, frolicking in the sand, looking out for sharks, and snuggling with an adorable baby. 

This girl asks to go to the "splash park" every day. If only it wasn't 3 hours away...

Who gave the children sparklers?

Sometimes I think I could just pick everything up and move to the beach.

I hope you had a happy 4th!