So Lily has glasses. Sorry, let me rephrase that, Lily is rocking glasses. During her eye surgery last year, our ophthalmologist was able to get a better look at Lily’s eyes and after our follow-up appointment a couple of weeks ago, she told us that Lily was probably a bit near-sighted and recommended that we try glasses. I can’t tell you how hesitant we have been about this whole situation – Lily barely lets us brush her hair out of her eyes without a mini freakout so the idea of putting (and keeping!) glasses on her face actually made us laugh. But, obviously it was something that had to be done so just before her neurology appointment we ordered a pair of miraflex glasses for kids. You would know Miraflex if you saw them – they’re the kids glasses that have the strong strap along the back; they are rubber and come in a rainbow of colours. Jess was kind enough to let me pick a nice bright purple, with the caveat that when we we buy her next pair she gets to pick out the colour. I do wonder if I’ve made a deal with the devil?
We got the call yesterday that they were ready and as I happened to be at a meeting downtown the timing was perfect for me to grab them on my way back to my office. I stood there for a moment, next to the super busy Tim Hortons in Sick Kids, took the glasses out of their case and marvelled at just how tiny they were – they literally fit into the palm of my hand. I was so excited to get home and try them on her, and so happy with myself because, shallowly, I had been a bit worried that these glasses would change her looks and, while I know it’s a mother’s bias, I think Lily, sans glasses, has the most beautiful face – it’s tiny and delicate and so incredibly feminine. I had wondered if the glasses would take away from that….
I could not have been more wrong. These tiny glasses look so wonderfully adorable on her tiny, delicate, feminine face. With her hair pulled back, we could draw a lightening bolt on her forehead and she would be perfect for the part of little Harry Potter. And while, I know that her looks are not important and this is actually all about her eye health, I can’t help but look at her and be happy that she looks just as sweet with them on as she does with them off. The glasses change her looks, but only as a different shade of ridiculously cute. And when she has them on and she smiles her little smirky grin, I’m an instant puddle.
And turning me into a puddle is certainly to her advantage this week. It seems that something with Lily’s internal clock has misfired and suddenly this week, the hours between midnight and 5am and now, “party time” in Lily’s world. It started on Friday night when she woke up crying, which is very unusual for her, at midnight and then, to my chagrin, stayed wide awake until I finally coaxed her to sleep at 7am. Saturday night went well, but then Sunday saw it happen again, wide awake from 11:30pm until about 4:30am. So, we’ve reintroduced an afternoon nap which she had given up about 6 months ago, and pushed her bedtime a little later and we’re hoping that helps get a good couple nights of sleep. Sadly, we’ve also learned the hard way, that she’s become too reliant on us to, “put,” her to sleep instead of putting herself to sleep. I am 100% guilty of the mom trap that I swore I would never get caught up in! I have usually been the bedtime parent but ever since I went back to work, that time just became so special to me. I wanted to keep patting her to sleep, or, even worse, letting her fall asleep in my arms – it was my way of keeping her little but it seems that I have created a monster. So, once we know that she’s back into a routine, it’s time to break the habit and tame the beast.
I also wanted to say thank you for those of you who reached out after my last post to send us good, “smart doctor” thoughts for my dad. I’m hopeful that they’ve been working because he has an appointment with a new surgeon on Monday morning and I’m taking that as a good sign. I’m trying not to overthink anything until we’re actually in his office and hearing what they have in store for him, but it is certainly easier knowing that there are so many people rooting him on. Keep the thoughts coming – they’ve never been more appreciated!
