Getting sleep .. OR .. Have you had your daily allowance of vitamin Z?

I'm labeling this one under a Fatherhood Friday, yes even though its Sunday, cause well ... cause I can. This blog (and my woodshop) are the last two strongholds of "I can do whatever the heck I want, neener neener" that I have left in this world.

Side note: If Jesus really is building me a mansion, I'm okay with it only having just a bathroom and perhaps a garage. If it's got that much, I'm good.

Now what WAS I going to write about?

Sleep. Ah yes (vigorously shakes head), I remember now.

Bella is a hair over a week old now. Time has flown by so fast. I've been reading up on how to hold onto one of our most precious commodities, the sweet slumber of sleep. I came across what Heather and I believe is the best answer to how to deal with the lack of it that parents experience with a newborn.

It's really easy. You just ship them over to a daycare center and let a stranger breastfeed them.

I kid.

Here is actually what I read and so far I agree with.

Here was a our basic to-do list:
* Heather and I figured out how much sleep we need in a given 24-hour period in order to function normally. 8 hours, 9? We figure out that number and commit to it.
* We then decide to put our rest as one of the highest priorities, right up there next to taking care of Izzy B.
* And then its pretty simple. We go to bed on time and start the sleep-cycle.

Now obviously we will have interrupted sleep during the night. Heather much more so than me since she is doing the feeding (can't help ya there dear). But the goal is not to "lose" sleep in that 24 hour period. If she only get 6 hours of sleep during the night, during her normal sleeping hours, well then instead of getting up at her normal time, it's back to bed for my bride.

If it takes until noon for Heather to get her sleep, say 8 hours in total, then so be it. The rest of the house will adjust. Then if at noon or whenever, she's hit her normal amount needed, she then (and only then) is allowed to get up and start her morning ritual like she would have before Bella arrived.

Gotta keep these folks committed to rest right?

I'm thankful to have a 13 year old here to help her out during the day when I'm away at work. He can take the puppy out to play and feed the cats, and himself (pretty well).

So there is our basic plan. Sleep in intervals until you get what you need for the day. THEN start your official day even if it takes till noon. Done and done.

Even though we are raising the most perfect daughter in the history of the universe she still interrupts sleep ... waking to eat, cause hey, she needs her some boob-food.

Speaking of .. I've taken to calling Heather "lefty" (just in front of Bella). Annnnnd I may have just done it right here on the internet.

See, Heather's right side is making WAY too much milk for Bella to keep up with so Heather has to pump that side into a bottle (after bottle, after bottle, after bottle, ahem). Then Bella eats from the left mostly. And that's why I've been telling Bella that, "you'll have to wait just a few more minutes on old lefty there, she's still emptying the right side before you can eat."

Yeah my wife just love those times but part of my charm is bringing the levity to our lives :)

So it's been a fun week all in all. Good times! Although we are tired, and there have been lots of folks here visiting/helping, its been fun :)

P.S. - This is our last week of having full-time official help too. Heather's parents headed back home this morning. Last night my momma showed up and she's staying with us this week to help out. After that though, it's back to being on our own again, way out here in Castle Horton, nestled deep in Horton Hollow.