I feel like a bit of a heel. Husband, though he has to work today, was willing to arise at 4:45 a.m. to feed Claire, despite the fact I’m “on duty” as of 5 a.m. Not only that, but yesterday he vacuumed all the sawdust out of the attic (courtesy of the roofers) in order to retrieve the Christmas decoration boxes. Then he put up the tree and helped me string it with lights. After that, he fixed my computer. Oh, and this was all yesterday, and he then he took the feedings and beddings from 6 p.m. onward.

So why did I not get up a bit early? Well, aside from the fact I’ve been doing that for several days (she’s taken to waking to eat just before 5 a.m. now), it’s the fact that I didn’t want to. I was tired and sleepy. Even though I was in bed and asleep by 8 p.m. last night. The thing is, the past few days I can barely stand up after 6 p.m. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s the fact I arise in the dark and then darkness falls early, but I had trouble stringing words into sentences last night at dinner. I felt very, very cross with raw nerves and was desperate for sleep. And it’s not as though I did much during the day!

So shortly after 5 a.m. I went down to him and Claire and apologized for being too lame to get up, since I was now wide awake (my usual time anymore). He said not to worry. I changed her and he rocked her back to sleep. I’m sitting in the living room with coffee. Usually at this time, Claire is with me, sleeping in her swing.

Oh, the tree is up. We shoved furniture over into corners and removed a couple of baby things. I truly enjoyed decorating it, and Claire was fascinated watching. I used fewer ornaments than in the past. We put presents under it because Stella wanted to chew the electrical cord. (I don’t know why, but that’s what lures her these days.) I left a lot of decorations in the boxes. We have a tree and some lights, and that’s just plenty.