This afternoon at the library I was looking through the cart of just-returned, waiting to be shelved books when I spotted this "Secrets of the Baby Whisperer." And in just that first second I had this huge feeling come over me that even now thinking of it brings me to tears. I could just remember and feel so clearly and so completely the desperate days (x 4 babies/toddlers) of checking out not just one but every sleep book at the library and searching, hoping, praying for a way to get a little more sleep. And oh, that overwhelming feeling of tiredness (that is coming my way again soon enough).
I wanted to find the mom who just turned this book in and give her a great big hug and tell her "I know how hard this is. And it's really hard! And you're probably doing better than you think." And if I could go back and give myself that hug and that pep talk, I'd probably include "Please just be kind to yourself and know that this is hard, and don't feel so bad about all the things you wish you could be doing better right now. Don't get discouraged when you see or think of all the other moms who seem to be able to handle things so much better. Don't worry about all that. You won't be so tired forever. Just do the best you can."
