I officially have a one month old daughter (oh and a three and four year old). Besides being totally adorable and a real angel during the day, she is keeping me up at night. Night feedings, ugh. I know some of you are in it with me and many of you remember them clearly. There is nothing quite like waking up from a deep slumber to breastfeed, put them back to bed and then fall asleep all over again. Perhaps even stranger is going to bed at 10 only to set an alarm for midnight and 3am and beyond. Yet, this is what newborn life is and I know it’s temporary.

In order to keep myself awake I’ve been compiling lists of things “to do” when no one else in the world seems awake. Simply getting up and turning on the light does not work anymore (plus who would want to wake up my darling husband). So for all those who are up at night or looking for ways to fill time, this is what’s working for me:

1. Podcasts. They are always my go-to. They keep me engaged and at 3am it’s what I am in need of most. Plug in with some headphones and you’re all set.  My favorites right now are:

1. Watch What Happens Live – The Podcast
2. Reveal
3. Death, Sex, Money
4. WTF – with Marc Maron
5. Alone  A Love Story

2. To-Do Lists. I type up things I want to get done. I can’t ever remember what I am thinking of in the morning so typing them helps. They range from “print valentines” to book titles. It feels so good to have a list, better yet to check things off as you get/do them.

3. Research. I am no scientist, but I spend much of the night doing research. It could be on something important (like figuring out a caterpillar actually makes their cocoon – thanks Lucy – or a celebrity. I dove deep the other night on Robert Pattinson (do not judge). I also researched where to get my car seats double checked in my town, since having three in one row is a game changer.

4. Home decorating (in my head). Having so much time at home has really made me look at my house in a different way – in a crazy way. I see so much I want to change and during the night, even in the dark I am scheming.

5. Even though reading makes me fall asleep normally, if I am sitting up and reading a good book then I may actually end up staying up later then the 30 minutes at a time my daughter needs. I just got wrapped up in a book titled, “As Good as True” by Cheryl Reid. In the first chapter a wife’s husband has died. He wasn’t murdered (I don’t think, but she was more than ready for him to go).

Sometimes even these don’t work and I wake to discover I have dozed off with my daughter on my chest.  Perhaps you do something I forgot?