Dealing with the Hell Hour

I don't think I mentioned it, but I was feeling really down last week. That hell hour between 4-5 pm was really getting to me; Madeleine wouldn't go down for a nap, but was obviously tired, so her attention span was about 30 seconds, and I felt like I couldn't handle it. She also started waking up at 8 am instead of 9, which was a big change for me.

After reading The Science of Parenting, I figured I would try a couple of things to make myself feel better. The upshot is that it worked, though I couldn't say exactly *what* worked :) Here's a list of the changes I made:

• started taking salmon oil supplements to boost Omega 3s and DHA (supposed to make happy brain chemicals)
• started exercising daily in addition to our daily walks (this feels like "me" time, which I've been missing!)
• stopped eating chocolate in the afternoon (sugary things apparently boost mood at first, then send it sliding)
• making sure I spend time with people who "recharge my emotional batteries" every day, either in person or over the phone
  
• made some career-related decisions I'd been putting off (this sort of just happened--my theory is that my boosted mood allowed me to face the ideas that had been percolating for a long time)

I also tried out my vintage Snugli for the first time and Madeleine loved it! I've never used a back carrier with her before, and it's so much easier than the Bjorn or the sling. Now I can just load her on my back, and Mama Horsie runs around the house, dances to music, etc while my little jockey spurs me on for awhile before gently falling asleep on my shoulder. Improved mood also means trying creative solutions instead of getting desperate!

Very sweet!