today feels like a truly positive update.  if i had asked myself this morning how i felt, i would have still been down, and particularly yesterday afternoon, when coming home from work i wasn’t even able to pull off at the rest area to nap nor decide to make it to the bank on the way back — yet  today, by this evening, i do feel one thousand percent better.  perhaps this shows just how up and down it goes; perhaps it is a general trend.
today, lucy, you were smiles and happy and energetic and perhaps even laughing.  yesterday, you were stressed out and it was rough.  i had been up since four – the four a.m. feedings are pretty regular and i don’t mind them so much and sometimes look tenderly upon them – but sometimes can’t get back to sleep afterwards!  i lie there and worry that i won’t be able to get back to sleep, which in turn keeps me awake, which is silly, and at the time feels downright crushing.
i have been back to work since last wednesday.  that has felt crushing too and confusing and i’m cloudy – and if i can’t get back to sleep after four and the alarm is set to go off at six when it’s still dark and cold cold cold, it is very cold.  marc w babysat you yesterday and the two of you were having a frustrated time – when i got in to otivo at close to 2pm you were strung out and upset.  but i only needed to hold you for a few minutes and you fell right to sleep for a nap, albeit fitful.  poor things both of you.
but today, you had a visit from grandma!  she stayed with you all morning while leanne and i both went to work, and when i came in at 2p you were _all_ smiles and she said you were laughing with her and playing all morning, when not napping and eating.
at first, after she left, i thought you’d ignore me and only be fussy from then on, but you perked up again for leanne and me.  coincidentally, it was the first time i didn’t put you to sleep on my own just by feeding, singing, and reading goodnight moon.  you were still awake, and leanne mentioned that she’d never put you to sleep before and really wanted to, so we handed you off.  you fussed for a bit, but then fell into deep sleep.
leanne and i both feel like we miss you when we are not with you now, but we have a work thing scheduled where you go to otivo with her in the morning, i go to palo alto, then come back to nurse you for the afternoon and evening while working at otivo.  you can now nap well, now that we know to help you and that you need and want this, and when you have napped well you seem happier throughout the day; you are a good sleeper and when you sleep we have respite in our lives and when you wake we joy to be with you — getting there.
today, it seems like we really love this.  i know there will be more downs and i am a bit afraid of them.
yet – when julie was here from santa fe over the weekend, and i mentioned fears and depression, and said i didn’t want to model that for my child, she looked at me and said, ‘i think what you’re modeling is knowing and being honest about who you are’ – that was a nice strong sentiment.  i miss having julie close but it is good to remember strong friends even if they are far.  i need my strong friends.