Really, This Again?

I'm sorry if my posts have been lacking lately, or don't make a lot of sense, but I haven't been getting a lot of sleep. It's sort of my fault, because I don't go to sleep on time, but it's more Amanda's fault. She's been waking up early. Too early. 5 a.m. early. This morning I looked at the clock when I first hear her crying and it was 4:52. I wish I could just roll over and go back to sleep and she would sense that I'm just not coming and stop crying, but it doesn't really work that way. Fortunately she doesn't cry really hard, she just cries out every few minutes in a way that says come get me soon before I get really angry.

When I do finally pull myself out of bed because I can't stand it anymore and walk into her room, she's usually sitting behind the bars of her crib like a little jail bird waiting to be sprung. Thank goodness Charlie finally lowered the mattress or she'd probably be on the floor. I think she's getting up for a couple of reasons. A) She's hungry. I'm hoping this is just a growth spurt but it's been going on for over a week so it's not looking so good. B) Her Benadryl and Ibuprofen have worn off. She hasn't cut a new tooth since the first week of April. She's working on the top four right now. You can see them through the gums but they still haven't broken through. Also, after that trip to the zoo on Sunday, where there was was too much cotton in the air and on the leaves of the cottonwood trees, her nose has been running like crazy, her eyes are glazed and she's been very clingy. All of this makes for a very cranky baby very early in the morning.

Yesterday I told the kids that when Amanda gets up that early I should take advantage of it and go for a walk and start to get some exercise. The only problem with that is at 5:30 a.m., after I've nursed her, it's still dark, and I don't like to walk in the dark, and I'm too stinking tired to go walking. This morning when he got up Andy asked Charlie if I was on a walk. Charlie just laughed and said that I was still in bed. That is, of course, after being up with Amanda from 5:00-6:00 and finally getting back to sleep while Charlie took a shower and let Amanda play in the bathroom.

So, I don't know how to fix my problem, or if it is even fixable. I know I could go to sleep earlier, but then I wouldn't have time to write all this wonderful stuff for you. Because I can't do it during the day, the kids would never let me finish. I know I'm supposed to let her scream, but I still don't sleep if I do that, and it just puts my stomach in knots. I guess I can just hope that she gets past it, the teeth come in, the trees stop being trees and very soon she learns to appreciate her precious time in bed.