Surviving ***Updated

Yep, we are surviving over here.  I haven't pulled out all my hair or gone crazy yet.  My sanity is still intact (I believe) after 6 days home alone with a 6, now 7 week old, baby!  That is amazing.  After the 1st night and 1st day alone with her, I wasn't sure what the outcome would be.  I had a majorly fussy baby on my hands 24/7 that first part.

Now granted, I'm not trying to win any mom of the year awards, but I have managed to keep the baby fed and rested, keep me fed and rested, and have kept up with dishes and laundry.

I've been daring and risky and showered home alone for the first time since R. was born (I have showered since she was born; there's just always been another adult in the house when I've showered.)  I even took a shower yesterday and today...2 days in a row!  Amazing, huh? (Earlier in the week I was only showering every other day.)

I haven't really cooked any meals, but I've managed to eat 3+ meals a day...either from leftovers in the fridge or frozen meals.  Yes, my appetite has increased and my weight has finally started to go down again (I hadn't seen the scale budge since about 2 weeks post-delivery.  We are now 7 weeks post delivery, folks.)

And I'm not ashamed to say I've had 4 ladies come over so far for 1-2 hours to give me a break, let me go for a walk outside, etc.  And I have 2 more coming over the weekend.  Nope, not ashamed to admit I need/want help at all.

R. and I are developing a routine, and I think it's working.  I change her, feed her, play with her (during the day time only), and put her to sleep.  She sleeps for some amount of time (anywhere from 30 minutes-3 hours during the day, 3-4 hours at night).  And then we repeat it all over again.  There are always variables in there like extra diaper changes, cleaning up spit up, giving her a bath, etc.  My stress, however, is low for probably the 1st time since she was born, and I think she can tell that.  My whole focus this week has been to take care of her and I, and anything else extra is just that...an added bonus.

I'm going to venture out to the grocery store with her tonight....oooo...exciting Friday night activity!  And I'm going to pick up some sort of fast food for myself as a treat for making it through the week.  We live exciting lives here, people.

We did have a little mishap earlier in the week when I locked both of us out of the house (at least it was both of us and not one of us!).  We usually keep a spare key outside the home, but paranoid me, when I'm home alone I don't like the idea that there is a key outside the home.  So what did I do?  Put the spare key inside the house, so we'd be safe and no one could find it and get it.  Nice idea, huh?  I was trying to be good and venture outside one night for a stroller ride.  I figure I need to start getting some regular exercise and it was only 70 degrees outside..perfect for a walk.  She was fussing, so I was focused on hurrying out the door and to the stroller.  I had my phone and that's all.  As soon as I closed the door, I knew I had locked us out.  Thankfully, it only was a $40 mishap and a little time waiting for a locksmith.

Two more days and reinforcements arrive.  I can't wait for DH's aunt and cousin to arrive.  There will be 3 adults in the house then!  Three people to cook food, hold R. while she goes to sleep during the daytime, and people to watch her while I take a nap.  Woo hoo!  I'm excited.  They asked if it was OK if they arrived Sunday night instead of Monday night as they had originally planned.  I wanted to jump for joy...heck, yes.  Come a whole day early.  That was an easy day to check off my original list of "8 nights to go."  We're down to 2 nights now, and then DH arrives home next Friday evening (7 nights to go).  I am going to make it.  I'm going to survive nearly 2 weeks without him and a baby at home.  I'm just hoping it's the last time in a really long time that I have to do the single parent thing.  I'm not cut out to be a single mother.

Who knows what next week will hold?  I might even be able to upload some R. pictures here and/or on Facebook.  Wow, productivity, huh? Or wait...I might even be able to finish the birth story or order birth announcements.  I can only imagine being that caught up!

***So after this highly optimistic update, I got news that there was a death in DH's family this afternoon.  My reinforcements are not arriving Sunday.  They may not arrive until Weds. night at the earliest if the funeral is Monday.  More likely the funeral would be Tuesday since we're heading into the weekend now.  That means they "could" get here Thursday night...1 night before DH arrives.  I'll be honest...I want to cry.  Looks like my single parenthood continues for no more than 7 nights when DH would arrive back home. Ahhhh...I just might go crazy now.  Major bummer as I was looking forward to their visit for a variety of reasons...only 1 of which was helping me.  Anyone want to come for a visit?  I have the guest bath and bedroom cleaned and waiting.