file this under "DUH"

Seriously, I could start loaning my kids out as a diet plan. I lost two more pounds in the last few days. Probably a combination of not being able to eat much and running all over the place helping everyone else. Plus the lunges I do to get her to sleep. But really, it's a plan. It could be a win-win for everyone. You lose the weight, I don't have to hire a babysitter!

Over the weekend, Josie caught the cold from her brother (of course), and on Monday morning, we discovered that she has broken the record for youngest baby with an ear infection. She clocked in at 7 weeks and one day with a massive infection in one ear. The fun never ends around here! So these days I am dispensing baby Zantac, amoxicillin, and baby Tylenol two times a day. Considering that her brother had nothing but breast milk for the first six months of his life, this is definitely a change for us and I try not to feel guilty for what it might be doing to her poor little stomach.

I have to admit, when the pediatrician proclaimed her ear terribly inflamed, I was pretty surprised. Josh and I agreed that Josie seemed happier over the weekend, and she has graduated to cooing and smiling, and doing what really sounds like actual laughs. If you bend down and tickle her chin or cheeks, she'll make these little "heh, heh, heh" sounds. It is totally stinking adorable. It may not be actual laughs, but they sure do sound like it. So when the pediatrician kept asking if she was being extra fussy, I really didn't think so. But whoooo boy, on Monday night she proved us wrong. She screamed nonstop from 9pm until 1:40pm, and although she would collapse from exhaustion every so often, as soon as I put her down the screaming would start up again.

Neither one of my kids has ever consented to be swaddled, and since we came home Josie hasn't been swaddled for longer than 30 seconds. We've tried a few times and have been met with such screams, we've pretty much given up. As we were approaching the wee hours of the morning, though, I got desperate. I pulled out the swaddling blanket, wrapped her up, and boom. She was out like a light. AND SLEPT FOR 6 HOURS STRAIGHT. That was the longest stretch we'd ever had. On Tuesday night, she screamed for a bit, and I took a chance. Again, swaddled and boom. Out. And then, I'm afraid to even type this, she slept for 8 hours and 20 minutes. Eight. Hours. Of course, I slept for less than that because my boobs almost exploded during that time, but still. I would make love to the swaddle blanket if I could. I'm obsessed with it.

Last night, we had one wakeup after 2 hours of sleep, and then she slept 6 and a half hours again. This is seriously approaching a record, and I'm considering leaving her in the swaddle blanket 24 hours a day. I am also kicking myself because I guess I could have been getting this much sleep all along, if I'd only stuck with the blanket instead of giving up right away, but I'll take this and count my lucky stars.

At this moment, she is swaddled and asleep and I am treasuring the peace and quiet. Ahhh. Can you hear that? That, my friends, is the sound of two sleeping children. Isn't it beautiful?