but, if it didn't get better, parents wouldn't have more than one kid, right?

Er, mine didn't...

Actually from what I understand, baby DJ was pretty ok. Not a big sleeper through the nighter, but able to just lie there anyway. Except for being almost constantly sick, I wasn't too much trouble.

Though I did try to escape once. That may have been what did it.

It's impossible for Jacqueline to worry more. Her brain is at full worry capacity at all times.

Speaking as a fellow mother, this is the most untrue thing I have heard since "Weapons of Mass Destruction."

Like Jell-o, there is ALWAYS plenty of room for more worrying.

Well there is a job coming up with the same high pay scale but much more limited, rigid, regimented responsibilities -- I could still make much better bank than I am now without feeling so stretched and over-responsible and depleted. They'd still think I was a pussy for turning down the shiny job -- and, more importantly, I'D think I was a pussy -- but in the long run it'd probably be much better for my mental health.

Did he actually wake you?

Yes, he did.

David, you totally just did the equivalent of saying to a pregnant woman "OH! Did I tell you about my six months of bedrest and seven days in labor, followed by emergency c-section??" Party foul.

Back up, Jack. This is not my primary forum for talking to Jacqueline about baby issues. It's not like she's getting news from me here, and this is not where I'm going to offer succor and comfort or an alternative feeding plan. Sheesh.

Eve slept like Matilda at 4 months, worse than Matilda from 6-8 months (I used to see every single hour in the clock all night), then better for a while, then bad again after a year. From 18 months onward, she was decent - up once in the night if at all. For me, getting ONE 4-hour stretch at night is very important. Peter is terrible right now, since he has a cold, but his basic pattern is up twice between 8 and 5:30, which is manageable for me.

There's a really fine line between "I am so fucking tired" and "I am so sleep-deprived I may quite honestly die." I know it well. The first, you can still laugh (at yourself, at life); the second, it's all about the anxiety and panic and, honestly, fear. JZ, I prescribe an afternoon at a friend's house, spent in the bed sleeping. This weekend. It will help.

I don't want to be a unique flower! Four places have liked me so much they had to pass on my resume, but not enough to hire me themselves. FOUR. That's, like, some sadistic record. At least my primary recruiter got me back into one of them. But that's the one with the complicated social connections. Still, I'd do it.

It's impossible for Jacqueline to worry more. Her brain is at full worry capacity at all times.

Yeah, I wouldn't want to test that theory.

I've actually been comforted by someone telling me it's going to be alright--even if had solid evidence that it wasn't going to get any better.

This situation WILL get better. It may take some time and some juggling and some weeping. But it WILL get better.

Aimee speaks the truth. At least that's what they said when they gave me the Celexa.

That said, a kid not sleeping through the night until he's five is extreme cubed. Matilda came early and she's wee, so she's going to want to eat in the middle of the night for longer (calendar-wise) than most babies her age, but she'll get past it, too.

And Hec and JZ, you'll muddle through this, and things are pretty likely to look and feel better a couple of months from now. Be excellent to each other.

And, yup, Hec and I are both saying nothing here we don't already say to each other. No parenting fouls.

This weekend, Tahoe. With three other grown-ups. I anticipate much sleeping and passing the baby off to them.

My supervisor is trying to groom me for an admin position supporting the cardiac PICU director once my boss retires, a job with all kinds of fancy perks and great money and varied and interesting duties, and I'm gonna have to tell her NO.

Hon, like Steph said, what's the timeframe?

Hec's experiences with Emmett aside (which I realize he's still carrying the psychic battle scars from), it really does get better. Not always sleep-through-the-night better, but usually sleep-most-of-the-night better.