Until this morning, I hadn’t washed my hair since Tuesday.
On Wednesday I was able to spritz it with dry shampoo, restyle my new bangs and braid the rest.
On Thursday my hair was too greasy to leave down (that’s the only drawback to a Brazilian Blowout), so I wore it in a ponytail with my bangs bobby-pinned off my face. I couldn’t even get into the shower to rinse off my body because Levi was being too uncooperative. He used to happily sit in his BabyBjorn Babysitter Bouncer in my bathroom so that I could keep an eye on him as I showered, brushed my teeth, styled my hair and got dressed. But yesterday he screamed and stiffened his body so that I was physically unable to put him in his seat, which meant mommy was dirty all day.
Ugh.
With a lunch date and Gymboree on our schedule today, I was desperate to look presentable and determined to find a way into the shower. Despite his protests, I (gently) forced his straightened body into his BabyBjorn bouncer and listened to him wail as I quickly scrubbed myself clean.
Needless to say, it was one of the worst showers I’ve ever taken.
When Levi screams and cries, I normally give him a few minutes to try to work it out on his own before comforting him. We don’t let him cry it out, although I know that method has worked for others. I’m afraid that letting him sob and sob and sob will lead to feelings of abandonment and anxiousness down the line, and I already worry that he may be predisposed to some of my anxiety. But this morning I had no choice but to let him shriek as I showered, and as I worked the conditioner through my hair, I watched my tears mix with the water running off my body down into the shower drain.
I feel terrible but at least my hair is finally clean, right?
xx
{photo was taken a week ago when Levi was in another one of his “I don’t want to be confined!” moods}
I completely understand. No longer are the days in which I can shower every morning, with washing and drying my hair. I have taken to washing my hair at night so I know I will have time to be somewhat clean for the next day!
If I weren’t prone to nightsweats, I would totally shower at night! But there’s always a chance I’m going to wake up sweaty and stinky 🙁
I agree with Nicole- I have moved into a nighttime shower routine to guarantee I can get one each day. Hang in there Momma!
It sounds like it’s been a rough week! Has that tooth broken through? I almost wrote you when you said on instagram that you had some not so great days to see if he might be getting a tooth. The week before Hudson got his first was miserable. I finally called Aron in tears and said “come home” because I am losing it! It was a Friday before vacation but I was still worried I was getting too frustrated. Then, kid you not, the next day we felt a ridge. It was like “oh! That’s why….” I hope you have a similar hump you’re about to jump over. Feel the pain though and sending a hug!
Thank you! Yes, his two bottom teeth are starting to pop through, so maybe that is contributing to his sudden disinterest in everything he used to like! He’s also been mildly constipated lately (perhaps related to teething?), so maybe it’s just uncomfortable for him to sit in certain positions. Who knows… I did call my husband, begging him to come early one day last week. Of course, he couldn’t, and then I got mad at him for it (which was silly), so it was just a lousy day overall!
I feel your pain! My son is 2 1/2 and I still can’t take a shower when i’m home alone with him. The only way to get it done is to wake up in the AM and do it before he ever wakes up….which is so hard but i’m eve more mushy at night. 🙁
I need to become a morning person! I set my alarm for 6:30 with the hope that I can get some things accomplished while he’s still asleep, but I hit snooze over and over until I hear him wake up around 7am.
Perhaps he is getting to be too big/bored/over it to be in his bouncer while you get a chance to shower? My daughter got to this point and now I just pop her in her cot, hand her an exciting basket of toys to discover (one that she doesn’t get to play with on a regular basis so they are new and unfamiliar), put on some kiddie music and go shower. Our bathroom is just across from her room so this helps but it usually works really well and while I can’t see her, I can hear her and it is far more relaxing knowing she is safe AND happy. Good luck finding something that works for you! And huge props for rocking it solo!
Thanks, Manda! I should just put him in his crib, and I don’t know why I don’t. I suppose I had just gotten in the routine of putting him in his seat in the bathroom with me. He’s not too big for it (the seat is good through toddlerhood), but he may be bored with it. Lately he just doesn’t want to be confined in anything–his seat, his exersaucer or his jumper, and he used to enjoy all of them!
Manda has a great idea; I should try that too — esp love the special basket of items to play with. Speaking of showers — this morning … I just bring Lu into the bathroom with me! I set out several of her bath toys on the floor and then I hop in the shower. She’ll 1. play with her toys, 2. start throwing them into the bathtub while I shower, and/or 3. start unraveling the toiletpaper roll. All pretty harmless! 🙂 I don’t know if that’s an option for you or not.
Being a single mom through those years of Parker’s life (because my Husband was ALWAYS deployed) I can understand the troubles of finding time to do anything while your child is awake – it was especially trying because I had to be to work in the morning, get Parker to school and I HATED waking up before 7. Under 1 I would stick him in the jumper and turn on your baby can read videos – they are interactive, songs, words, and enjoyable. We dont have a tv upstairs so I would stick it on the laptop and shower. The other thing I did was put him in his room with the gate up and let him pull the books off his bookshelf, play with his toys in the toy boxes and pull his clothes out of the drawers. Once he was walking (1 year and up) he didnt want to be confined to his jumper so I would just stick him in his room with a bowl of Cheerios while I showered and then in his highchair with his food while I got ready. Dont be afraid that he is going to have abandonment issues – he needs to develop INDEPENDENCE. He needs to be able to explore his area and have fun! Some of my favorite moments were finding Parker in his room and just watching him babble to himself as he threw his books around his room, pulling himself up and walking along furniture, and making messes of himself with his breakfast. I would be careful with the bathroom though. Parker figured out how to open the toilet lid before he learned to walk and there were many pinched fingers from toilet seats, toys being lost to the toilet monster and once the replacement of a toilet – that is not fun to try to learn to do with a 1 year old wanting to help.
Keep your chin up and start getting up with JB so that you have some “we time” while Levi snoozes!
Way behind on my blog reading (part time SAHM to a 7 month old, ’nuff said 🙂 ), hope things have gotten better for you, but today I am finding comfort in the fact that other moms are struggling too. Sorry! 🙂 My guy has gotten 4 teeth in the last 2 weeks, for a total of 6 now, with 2 more coming. Nights have been really rough. Daytime naps have to be in my arms. I am going out of my mind! My husband is frustrated and wants to try CIO, but I’m against it. Baby is in pain and needs me. What’s a momma to do?!
*Deep breath* This too shall pass… Stupid teeth. Stupid sleep. 🙂
We did a version of cry it out when we were sleep training, but I also couldn’t let Levi cry when I knew the reason was that he was in pain. Teething is the worst–and Levi only has two!
And I am also WAY behind on my blog reading.