To Sleep or Not to Sleep?

There is nothing like a long walk to put a baby to sleep! :)  She was so out of it that I was able to take her out of the carrier and lay her down in her bed without waking her up at all! 

I would nap with her, but this morning I realized that for some reason over the last few weeks, my whole goal in life has been to sleep as much as possible. I wake up in the morning hoping that I will be able to feed Addy and bring her back to bed with me.  When that doesn't work, I'm thinking of morning nap time.  And when we wake up from morning nap, I can't wait for afternoon nap. And THEN I'm looking forward to bedtime and have been feeling pretty crabby lately about the 2am feeding, especially knowing that miss girly has proven herself perfectly capable of sleeping through the night.  Not that I'm sleep deprived at all - we go to bed early and Addy really sleeps pretty well, and she usually sleeps in til around 7am.  Overall, she's a pretty easy baby & really happy most of the time.  So what gives? 

I've realized that I have a pretty unhealthy perspective on sleep right now, to the point where it is almost my raison d'être.  It's not really fair to my tired husband, who is out working all day, to come home to an untidy house, dinner not started & a wife who brags about all the naps she has taken today (which has happened two out of four work days this week. Yikes.)   After all, he helps me with night feedings, and then gets up at 5am to go to work & comes home 11 or 12 hours later.  So I have decided that it is time to get a grip and face the day like a big girl, and not as if I am an infant who needs to sleep all the time. :)

Today when I laid Addy down for her morning nap (after our walk), I curled up in a comfy corner of my couch with my Bible & Beth Moore’s study of James and savored it along with my cup of coffee.  This study is really speaking to the exact place where I am in my life right now and is walking hand-in-hand with the chapter about contentment that I’m currently “stuck” on (because I keep re-reading it!) in “The Resolution for Women.”  Perseverance through trials and learning to be content in every situation are definitely skills that I could benefit from in my life.  I want my daughter to remember a mommy who looked to the Lord for her strength and who thanked Him constantly for His good gifts. 

During the next nap, I washed the dishes, got a load of laundry started, and had time to pick up.  And during the NEXT nap (not long ones, mind you. My kiddo is the Queen of the 30-minute Catnap), I laid down with her and let her nurse while I downloaded “Babywise” on my Kindle & read a bit, just to see if anybody could shed some light on the situation.  And, as a bonus, since we were snuggled up together, Miss A snoozed long enough that I got to treat myself to a little 20-minute power nap of my own.   I chose not to feel guilty about that one. J

Cheeseburger Soup - Easy Monday dinner!

My friend Laura furnished this yummy recipe.  We had a houseful for dinner last night, so I made a double batch of this hearty soup & had plenty for leftovers for tonight. 

Cheeseburger Soup

1 lb. Ground Beef
¾ c. Onion, chopped

1 t. Basil

1 t. Dried Parsley

3 c. Chicken Broth

4 large Potatoes, cubed

4 T. Butter
¼ c. All-Purpose Flour

2 c. Cheddar Cheese

1 ½ c. Milk

¼ c. Sour Cream

Salt and Pepper

In a large stockpot, add ground beef, onion, and herbs. Cook until hamburger is browned and onions are tender. Stir in broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil then cover and simmer until potatoes are soft (about 15-20 minutes).

In a small pot, whisk butter and flour to create a roux. Slowly add milk and stir until thickened. Gradually add milk mixture to soup, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer. Stir in cheese. When cheese is melted, add sour cream and heat through. Enjoy!

Yield: 6-8 servings