"So, how is the baby sleeping?"

I don't know why this is, but the first question people ask upon meeting a new mother is "How is the baby sleeping?"

I don't mind the question, I just find it rather amusing that it's the same question, over and over.

Usually, to be polite, and not bog people down with details, I just say, "Baruch Hashem (thank God), he sleeps very well."

So do you want the details? Really? Really, really, really? (if not, you can skip the rest of this post.)

Elish is a very good sleeper at night. Many nights, he can sleep until 5 or 7 or more hours in a row. It's the timing and GETTING him to sleep that is a challange.

I usually start to feel exhausted by 9:00 or 9:30pm. After a full day at work, and comng home to an adorable baby who wants quality time with his mommy, rustling up some grub in the kitchen for the adults to eat (frozen meals, bowls of cereal, nothing complicated...)I am ready to curl up in bed for the night by then. But at this time, Elish is still raring to go, smiley and cute, and then a little fussy. I wind up holding him a lot (not a bad thing!), much more than Daniel, because when he gets fussy, only a mommy (with breasts) can comfort him! Even when I try to nurse him down to sleep, he just won't cooperate - he has other things in mind.

So I usually wind up crashing in the living room on our lounge chair, with Elish on my lap, and I am a zombie until around 11:30 or 12:30, or even later, when Elish finally conks off into deep sleep and I can finally put him down.

This is taking a toll on me. I know I am lucky that he sleeps so nicely once he falls asleep for good. I just wish we could get bedtime to be a little earlier.

We've tried.

Elish doesn't even nap a lot during the day. When I try to put him down earlier, Elish tends to wake up after 15 minutes, rejuvinated and ready for more action.

I have started to feel like my work performance is being affected by my exhaustion. I almost fell asleep in a meeting with a board member on Tuesday. It was rather embarrassing and unprofessional.

This shabbas I will do take-out, and try to get some serious shluf time. I need a nap!