Honeymoon is over........

When the girls were born, the doctors "warned" us about the honeymoon period. Apparently the first 36 - 72 hours of life for preemies in the NICU is the honeymoon period -- a time when everything looks like it's going really well.....and once that time has passed the roller coaster ride begins. Thankfully our girls continued to do well even after that period was over and they never looked back.

The girls are fantastic, health-wise, but I think we have reached the end of a honeymoon period.......or maybe I've just hit a wall. Don't get me wrong - I love my girls - but these days the patience is running sort of thin (trust me - it would for you, too, if your sweet little angel looks you straight in the eye at 3am and refuses to open their pouty little mouth!). Part of it is obvious.....lack of sleep.....but it's also first-time parenting frustration. I felt like we've been doing okay with the parenting thing but these past few days have been different. They aren't eating as well as we think they should be but then again - how much should they be eating? How much longer are we doing this 3am feeding thing? Sleeping.....they are 11.5 weeks old - should we be putting them on a sleeping schedule? What do I do with them when they're awake.....they can't see very far and don't reach for toys -- do I sit there and make faces at them until they fall asleep again? Ahhhhhhhh!!

I can read the books I have and the websites I've found but are they 3 months old or do I think of them as newborns? I know I'm looking for definite answers when it's really up to us to figure out what works best for our girls, and that's the root of my frustration.

This, too, shall pass but I'm calling my doctor............surely he left behind the users manuals when he delivered these kiddos.................................................

Until next time!