Canceled Plans and Little Sleep

Dear Ava,

Yesterday was a bit of a rough day for both of us. Neither of us got enough sleep last night. Then, I interrupted your morning nap by trying to put you down in your crib while you were asleep. Normally I hold you during your naps because you seem to sleep best that way.

Holding you while you sleep is both a blessing and a cross to bear. I would love to have that time to nap myself, get showered and dressed, or work on my to-do list. When I focus on myself and what I could be accomplishing instead of holding you, it becomes hard to bear. When I instead focus on my prayer time, studying scripture, and studying theology while you sleep peacefully in my arms it becomes a time of peace and renewal for both of us.

Most days I try to let you sleep as long as possible during your naps, but this morning a friend of mine was supposed to come over for coffee. She and I have been trying to get together for months now but our schedules never lined up. A couple Sunday's ago you and I finally made it Mass at 11 AM and my friend and her family happend to be sitting two rows it front of us. It was the first time she and I had seen each other since we graduated from West Point in 2005.

Twenty minutes before she was supposed to arrive I was still in my pajamas. I tried to put you in your crib so that I could get dressed, but you of course woke up. Sadly, right after that my friend called to let me know that she didn't feel too well and thought it best to stay home. We have tentatively rescheduled for a day next week and I am really looking forward to seeing her and some much needed social interaction. I hope she is feeling better, none of her kids get sick, and that you and I are able to get plently of sleep beforehand.

Despite you getting a much longer afternoon nap, you were still quite tired the rest of the day. I let you play in one of your favorite places quite a bit since it kept you happy. What could be better than sitting in a bin full of toys?

 

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Time Change Planning Fail

Dear Ava,

I messed up big time when making our travel plans. If I had thought about daylight savings time prior to scheduling our trip to see Grandma and Grandpa P we would travel to see them the week prior to daylight savings time. As it currently stands, we will hit daylight savings time (jump ahead 1 hour), then a few days later travel one more time zone ahead (jump ahead an additional hour), then a week later travel back home (go back 1 hour), followed by a few days later traveling to see daddy/Joe (jump ahead 14 hours). Had we traveled the week prior to daylight savings time, the time zone where Grandma and Grandpa P and daylight savings time at our home would line up perfectly. I hope that isn't too confusing.

The take away of all of this is that the sleep schedule you finally have settled into will change completly in a week and then continue to keep changing until you adjust to the Korea time zone.

The past month of us not travelling was wonderful. I wish it was not about to end, though I can't wait to see Joe again. If only we did not have 20+ continuous hours of travel followed by 2-3 weeks of jet lag to deal with as a result of the trip. At least we will get to be together as a family of 3 for our longest stretch yet.

 

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