This is how it all went down. After a tiresome day with two non-sleepy children I went to bed early, 9:45 p.m. I was thrilled to tuck myself into bed and sleep tight until morning. I knew my 8-month-old wouldn't stir because she only slept five hours the night before and remained up all day, teasing me with cat naps. So, there I lay waiting to fall asleep. I finally fell into dream land when my husband came to bed at 11:45 p.m. He can't silently ease into bed. But, I pretend to be asleep, you all know why. So, anyways after he starts snoring I get up to use the bathroom for the final time. It's now 12:15 p.m and I fall asleep again; my REM sleeps takes off. Uhhhh, I finally retreat into a non-mom mode, in my dreams.
The red light blinks 1:30 a.m. when two tiny feet shuffle into my room. "Nolan, go back to bed," I repeat several times in a loud whisper. His feet turn and he heads back to his room. "Uhhh, that wasn't to bad," I think. Moments later, the shuffle returns. He doesn't say anything. He sneaks in the room, tries to climb into bed with us, without us knowing of course. Peeking at the clock, 2:05 a.m. "Go back to bed, Nolan."
He turns and returns to his slumbering spot to return only 15 minutes later. Still, no words escape his lips. Finally, dad gets up and takes him back to bed. Dad never returns. Uhhh, finally.
And, so I doze off, dream plenty and wake to my 8-month-old at 4:25 a.m. "Holy Crap." I peel myself out of bed and somehow make it upstairs, I had yet to open my eyes. She is howling, now. But as I pull her up and hold her tight I can't be mad. She is my precious girl with big poops in her pants. I change her diaper and head back to bed. 4:45 a.m. shines bright.
5:20 a.m. blinks in my eyes as another howl yelps out of the baby monitor. I'll give her 5 minutes. If she is still crying I'll make a bottle. She is sound asleep in 4 minutes. The clock now reads 5:25 a.m., then 6:05 a.m., then 6:25 a.m.
Finally, I get up to go to the bathroom and then proceed to the coffee maker. Without caffeine I would fall flat on my face and die. Well, I wouldn't die because my kids would have too much fun climbing all over me and pulling my hair saying, "Giddy up, mama, giddy up." I'd have to get up to save my hair.
2 comments:
Revenge is sweet. Signed, your mother!
As a Mother of 2 I can relate. My children didn't sleep through the night regularly until they were almost 2. Now I hear the pitter patter of my 5 year old each night, then I hear the toilet flush, and then a quick scamper back into her bed where she tucks herself in again. Even though she doesn't wake me, I always hear her. Even though I should be sleeping soundly, I still awaken most nights just to check on them. When I wake up, I think, "Are they covered up, I'm chilly... Are they?... Is their room to cold/hot..." I sometimes try and convince myself that everything is OK and I dont need to get out of bed, but then I can never fall back asleep. There is something comforting about awakening (on your own) walking into a dark and peaceful room to find your children asleep, safe, relaxed, tummy's full, needs met, warm... What a blessing! I then am able to get back in bed and drift off asleep again knowing that they are perfectly safe and snuggly. As mothers, I think our sleeping through the night days are gone until our last child is out of the nest; however waking up on my own fruition, as opposed to having to change a poopy diaper, is something that I don't mind. There will be a day when you to Jennifer, will feel like you have "arrived." It was a very special day when I heard my daughter wake up. I thought for sure she would be wanting me to escort her to the bathroom. I was prepared, but she decided to do it on her own. I was happy and sad at the same time. I didnt wan't to HAVE TO help, but I couldn't believe that she was already old enough to NOT NEED my help. There is a season for everything. As for me, I got 9 hours of sleep last night... I can't complain!
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