Routine Junkies

Had another shocking night's sleep. Bed for 10pm, awoken for a few hours from 2am, up again at 6am. Pretty standard these days. And actually reading that back, it doesn't look as bad as it felt. Probably felt worse as the 2am slot was particularly brutal - an Audrey colic special!

The next door neighbour just had a baby (Mack) and they were home from hospital yesterday. Baby Mack decided to join Audrey in a dawn chorus this morning which was particularly amusing. Although it might prove less amusing if one drops off and the other starts at some point down the line!

We're determined (OK obsessed!) with getting Audrey into a routine still but it struck me in the early hours that this is as much for us, as it is for her. I've always liked structure. I don't mind waking up in the early hours if I can predict roughly when it will be and for how long - its the uncertainty of it that I find despairing! But that's par for the course with being a new parent. Who am I kidding? Plus she's only 3 weeks old, she doesn't know what she wants and when yet. How can we force her?

I think its time we adopted a level of acceptance around a few things. It will probably help us cope a bit better.

So here goes...a few statements I need to repeat to myself when I'm losing the plot...

- I accept that I will never get more than 6 hours unbroken sleep again (or at least for a few months)

- I accept that Audrey will wake in the middle of the night for an undeterminable amount of time to feed and generally moan/cry/test my patience

- I accept that sometimes Audrey will cry for no apparent reason and nothing I can do will settle her

- I accept that I can no longer make firm plans and stick to them

- I accept that some days will be worse than others but that I should celebrate the good days when they come along

Ahhhhh....that's better...

Today's picture is of Audrey asleep in front of the tumble dryer. She loved it! Will be using that trick again. Magic.