A much needed break

I am a a firm believer that as parents, sometimes you need a break from parenting. Parenting is exhausting and takes everything you've got until by the end of the day (8:30-9:00pm), you're a zombie. The night time is usually when I make all of my rash decisions such as "I'm quitting breastfeeding." Well, really that's the only one. But when Nicholas tells me OK, it's OK if I quit, that's when I come back with "No, I'll keep doing it." I think that for me, I just have to know that the option is there for me to quit, that I'm not trapped in it. I need to know that my husband will support my decision if I did decide to stop. Yea, I'm cray-cray.

But this is why I think that we all need a little break, for our sanity.

Nicholas and I give each other little daily breaks. For me, he lets me take naps during the day and takes care of little bug without waking me. If Lucas gets hungry, Nicholas gives him a pumped bottle or maybe even a formula bottle. Giving him a formula bottle is a much safer decision than waking me. For him, I don't wake him up at night for feedings and diaper changes anymore. I let him sleep. These breaks are small, but very much so needed.

Nicholas and I were fortunate to have a big break yesterday. His mom and her husband watched Lucas while he and I went out to lunch and picked up a few things from Wal Mart. Since he is so little, it wasn't all that different. Usually when we go out and we take him with us, he just sleeps in the car seat and only wakes for a diaper change. But still, it was nice to not have to stop my meal for a diaper change. So thanks MIL (mother in law)!!

Friday night, I gave Nicholas another big break. Our friends Sarah, Eric, and Taylor came over. The ladies stayed here with me and Lucas while the guys went out for dinner and drinks, a man date if you will. We ladies watched episodes from season 6 of FRIENDS, our favorite tv show ever, got subs and frozen yogurt moose tracks ice cream from Publix, and drank wine. It was nice. Lucas was a good baby and Nicholas came back slightly inebriated. He really needed that, I think.

Sarah, Taylor, and I orchestrated this night because Nicholas does things like that for a me a lot. In the 6, almost 7, weeks that Lucas has been with us, I've got out with my girlfriends at least 2-3 times for dinner and drinks while Nicholas watched the babe. He deserved the same treatment. It's nice to get out of the house and cut loose for a few hours!

Hubs was not too terribly delighted to see me catching candid photos of him playing his violin. But I just love it so much when he does!