My Bartending Gig at Club LG (Breastfeeding 'Til Dawn!)

My second job is one of the best gigs I've ever had! I'm bartending at Club LG. It's very exclusive, and the dress code is pretty strict (diapers and pajamas only), but the tips (kisses and drooling) are awesome!

My sleep-deprived mommy-of-four brain likes to think happy thoughts as I'm struggling to stand up at 2 a.m. to comfort, console, and nurse my nearly 13-month-old baby girl.

I never was much of a partier in high school and college. Sure, I had my share of late nights at parties, concerts (10,000 Maniacs, Depeche Mode, anyone?), or even studying or writing papers (I really miss writing papers, really I do!). But partying was never my thing.

But meeting the needs of a helpless baby in the middle of the night is a kind of partying. And doesn't every baby deserve her own nightclub? Just look at this face! And her onesie says it all.

I know this party won't last forever.

She'll sleep through the night eventually—whether we continue nursing or not. But right now, we're dealing with growth spurts, learning spurts, new teeth, and illnesses (another ear infection!), all of which affect our breastfeeding schedule and LG's need to nurse.

The week she got all four of her teeth (yes, four in the same week) was sheer agony for both of us. Apparently, the hours between 2 and 5 a.m. are prime teething times, at least for my baby girl. She would wake to nurse, latch on, eat for a bit, then proceed to bite me like she was royally pissed off at me. (Like Mama has any control over when her teeth come in!) And the anticipation of that bite made me a nervous nurser. I think babies can sense fear. But really, any sane person would be fearful of being bitten in a sensitive spot. It hurts! . . . NOT a fun time at Club LG.

But again, I know this party won't last forever. She's my last baby. My last little nursling. Breastfeeding hasn't always been easy (and still isn't always easy!), but I'm glad we have that special bond and special time together in the wee hours of the night when everyone else in the house is asleep. I like to think of it as our exclusive club, and really, it is.

Welcome to Club LG. I'm the bartender and only breastmilk is served (ID required).

Please note: Maximum occupancy at Club LG is limited to two. 

Mission Accomplished: Insanity Achieved!

It's official! Maybe even officially official! I've achieved insanity — the level of insanity one can only achieve by mothering more kids than she ever dreamed she'd have.

Our newest bundle of joy—our fourth baby and second daughter—arrived in late September, a week before my due date. Lily Grace is a blessing and a joy—really and truly! I simply can't imagine life without her. And while I never dreamed I'd have four kiddos, it works. Well, most of the time. OK, honestly, it works some of the time.

I'm still adjusting to the craziness of having four children (and honestly can't fathom how my Mom handled six kids, and how on earth my Grandma did it with 12 kiddos). Lily Grace is 4 1/2 months old now, and things are beginning to come together. She's showing her little, sweet, sunshiny personality, making the middle of the night nursing sessions so much easier to sleepwalk through. Her smile and laugh are amazing, but it's her eyes that get me every single time. She just "sees" me. My heart melts and skips a beat (any other heart cliches?) when she looks at me. 

Maybe this is something that only mothers get to see. And if so, I'm damn lucky. The look my sweet baby gives me is something so surreal. Like she just gets me. And that's a nice feeling when the rest of my world feels crazy and chaotic. 

My house is a mess with toys, arts and crafts, and Happy Meal toys strewn about. I have a constant—literally, constant—and steady stream of laundry to do. And I haven't slept a full night since . . . I'm guessing 2003, right before I got pregnant with Maddie (my 8-year-old daughter).

But I know that I'm lucky. Not everyone gets this opportunity. Not everyone gets to hold, kiss, hug, and love a child of their own. 

And these moments really and truly are fleeting. I look at Maddie and can't believe she's already eight. I vividly remember meeting her for the very first time, yet here she is—a walking, talking, running, horse-riding, soccer-playing, shy, friendly, fun, happy, imaginative eight-year-old. My boys seem to change overnight lately. Alex (my five-year-old) is crazy, but fun, loving, and pretty awesome. Nate (my three-year-old) is a sassy, back-talking ball of energy and love. And Lily Grace completes our little picture with her sweetness and babbles.

But MOST of these moments are hard. I'm exhausted, stressed out, over-extended, weepy, frustrated, and all the other things parenting is made up of. I read a pretty awesome article/blog that put it perfectly: Don't Carpe Diem. 

We really do have to live for THOSE moments. Those fleeting, wonderful, amazing moments when I have a special, unique, miraculous moment with my children. Those moments really do make it all worth it. And it's OK that not every moment is perfection. I'm not perfect, so why should my life be?!