Singing the Blues

Okay, so yesterday was a tough one. Wesley hit on an all-day fussing, don't-want-to-sleep binge. I now know what complete helplessness feels like because nothing I did made a difference, other than feeding him; however, since I am breast-feeding, that got a little tiring after about the sixth hour of having him attached (literally) to me. I did everything I could think of - I walked him, I rocked him, I talked to him, I sang to him (although with my voice, that was probably more discomforting than comforting, but whatever!). I took him outside, I put him in his swing (which, normally, he loves), I tried to let him play on his playmat. I swaddled him, I unswaddled him. And, of course, I fed and changed him.
The problem with the feeding was that he wasn't eating. He was more comfort sucking, which is probably why it got so tiring. A paci would not do nor would my finger, which he will take if he's calm. Now he might have had a tummy upset because he spit up three times. Then again, he might have just been uncomfortable in some other way. Regardless, by 3:00, this mama was pooped and frustrated and in tears. I actually called Charlie to come home, even though he still had track practice. Wonderful husband that he is, he was home by 3:45 and took my now calm baby (because Daddy was home and apparently that was what he wanted . . . at least for that ten minutes!) off my hands for the rest of the afternoon.

This did not stop Wesley's fussiness, however. Although he seemed comforted by Daddy more than Mama last night, he still acted as though something was wrong though he wouldn't eat or sleep or let himself be comforted with the normal routines. What worried me the most was that he would not go to sleep. One look at his sweet little face and it was clearly evident that he was exhausted. I figured I had just joined the ranks of all mothers out there faced with this dilemma: How do you get a sleepy baby to go to sleep when he is fighting it every step of the way? I still don't know.
The good news is that at about 8:15 last night, Wesley finally met with the Sandman and drifted off to dreamland. He slept through the night, only waking up once to eat, and eat he did. I figured that might be another part of his problem - that he was hungry but just wouldn't eat during the day. Maybe the heat had something to do with it; I don't know. What I do know is this morning has been much calmer for both baby and mama. I've got my fingers crossed that yesterday was a fluke (at least for the next few days).
Serenity is good.