I was awake, reluctantly, from 1:10am until almost 4 this morning. First, K had the coughs, so I gave her some cough syrup. Then her tooth hurt. Then she had to potty. Then she couldn't find her blankie under the covers (a tragedy of epic proportions!). Then I put her in our bed, where she suddenly had a horrible tummy ache, which resulted in a dose of Pepto. I rationalized that at least I wouldn't have to keep getting up and walking to her room and back if she were in the bed with me. Maybe some head rubs would do the trick.
This was a big mistake, as it seemed the real problem was just insomnia...so, her problem became my problem. She poked, prodded, kicked, chatted, rubbed, kissed, hugged, bonked and otherwise bothered me for quite some time until I couldn't take it. When she cheerfully thanked me for sharing all my blankets with her, I realized she was not planning to go back to sleep. So, I took her back to her room. At which time I heard P whimpering and realized he had wet himself. A quick change turned into P's launching into a deep conversation...about what I cannot remember, but I do recall thinking it was quite the conversation for 4 am.
I prayed for everything and everyone I could think of, I thought about all kinds of things, then when I had nothing left to ponder or pray for I FINALLY fell back asleep. Only to hear my sweet husband's alarm around 5am. He kissed me goodbye shortly before 6 and R climbed in my bed a few minutes later telling me about a 'stwange noise' he heard 'dat sounded like a gun going BOOM.' Within the next 20 minutes, his bright-eyed siblings joined us for a few minutes of snuggles and a lot of excited chatter. Our day had begun.
I thought once we dropped naps (which we have just about done) they would sleep solidly. I was wrong. So, tell me, exactly when do I get to sleep through the night again?
22 comments:
Maybe when they are married :) At least that's what I tell myself
Bless your heart. Maybe you'll get a short nap in today since they've been up so long already.
I had one up at 4 am, too, only to leave the light on in the bathroom and go right back to bed. The light is what woke me up.
Praying for you today. Rested mamas are often nicer mamas. Praying for grace for your day with little sleep.
Thanks again for praying for us.
When do you get to sleep through the night again?
Well, my daughter will be 14 next month. My son is 16 and a half. I'm still waiting....
Sooooorrrrrreeeeee.
I asked my Mom the same question when my 1st child was about 2. She responded,"Ha! You're a Mom now. You'll never have a good night's sleep again!" I am reminded of her word every time I am awakened to worry about my now grown children! Actually, God is helping me surrender the habit of worry- so I am grateful to have the chance to pray for my kids- in the night or whenever! Thank God He give us Moms the energy to survive on a little sleep!
Is it a full moon or something? Both of mine were up way before dawn today too. In fact Lily stated, "it sure is taking a long time for it to get light!". To which I thought to myself...only b/c you are up WAY TOO early!
Let's hope for a rare afternoon nap, or at least some serious early bedtimes!
Your kids' comments kill me! Stwange.......lol. I guess we'll never really sleep through the night. I always see a bow in K's hair......funny story. I was talking to my friend Susan and I asked her if she got ready every morning even if she was just staying home. She said no.....she said she looks like something the cat dragged in when she drops her kids off at school.....she said "But at least my girl has a bow in her hair!"
Thought you might like that.
I wish I had an answer for you too! I have 5 under 7 and expecting too...in Sept. One thing that a mother of 6 once told me when I approached her with the same dilemma is that she would GO GO GO all day long- run them ragged and make them sweat! She really meant sweat! I had to believe she has some real truth to this- hers all slept through the night early on and continued. She had to watch herself not to get too wiped out too. But, lots of outside running activities. Research them on the internet... all sorts of games to keep them going and going. You have a little preschool there too so it should not be too hard to find ideas. Hope this helps out. God bless!
I think it's college, but i think i'll find myself worried at that point - which will probably be the payback years when I call THEM at 4 in the morning just to check in. Maybe it is when they're married....who knows.
I asked my 76 year old Grandma, and she told me never. Ah well...
Isn't that the truth? And the funny thing is, I don't even sleep well when the kids sleep through the night because I'm worried that they're so quiet.
When either a) they go for a sleepover (not likely all three at once however), b) Gramma comes and gets them (again, not likely all three at once, or c) when they go off to college (but give yourself a couple of weeks to not have night panics about safety, separation and all that fun stuff when kids go off on their own for the first time.)
Don't you just LOVE the medical news reports about Americans not getting enough sleep?? I think the demise of the extended family may have given us more privacy but certainly deprived us of any energy reserves with all tasks falling (usually) to mommies.
Hang in there.
Does your husband ever get up with them? Mine did on 3 nights out of 7 if needed. NEVER let the "I have a job to go to in the morning and I need to be clear headed" excuse reign. Let me tell you, YOU have the most IMPORTANT job in the world and have to work in the morning as well! Makes my blood boil to hear husbands give that excuse - really demotes the family to 2nd place in my opinion.
I'll be careful not to fall when I step off my soapbox now...
Never,
I have five children and our seven year old still comes to our bed each night at some point. I have three children that are married with children and I still wake up at night worrying about them only to pray for them until I fall alseep. A good night sleep? I would love to know when. I don't know how I found your blog, but I can't wait each day to hear from your family.
I do the mean ol' Super Nanny trick. I walk mine back to his room without saying anything. Now, he'll even go on back by himself. It seems to go in phases. We'll have a few months of no waking and then it will happen almost every night. I don't know how I would do it with three! You're amazing.
My sweet two year old does the whole conversation thing, in the middle of the night, sometimes. I often wonder if he is sleep walking. Hope you get a better nights sleep tonight!
Amy
LOL! I think I just read a blog YOU wrote about MY night...=) When I have nights like that, I keep telling myself,"it's only for a season." What I convieniently leave out of that self-pep-talk is that some seasons last longer than others.
When they get married?? My kids are 10, 8 and 6 and two nights ago I woke up and two of them were sound asleep between dh and I!
I love the funny things your little ones say.
My mother (mother of 22) has always said, "You get kids to sleep through the night right around the age you start worrying if they are coming home at night!". Sadly true, I think.
Still waiting for at least the oldest one to hit that stage (she's seven) at our house. Davis and Wesley wake up the most frequently (even more than the baby). Must be something about this age! It would surely help me to feel more rested if I didn't have 26 teenage girls to keep up with...they stay up LATE and they always want to have meaningful talks LATE. Still, I wouldn't trade any of them (the teenagers or my little ones) for anything!!!
Bummer! I hope you are sleeping now...even if induced by Tylenol PM or something :)
ummm...well my soon to be six year old is up more than my soon to be four year old and my eighteen month old - but she is getting or has gotten her molars in recently - I am not sure on the sleep thing - I ask myself the same question every morning when I am dragging and they are bounding with energy. I am SO tired :) I hope you get a good nights sleep soon and I LOVE the spring pictures above! Sunshine
They sleep through the night peacefully some nights, though. (Right?!?)
I think the idea that we'll go months and months without having uninterrupted sleep is a myth. But we get nights here and there.
It's not all that different from pre-child life, is it? Maybe it's just me, but I used to wake up at nights at times -- to deal with the dog, neighbors parties, etc. It's just now, my children are the ones waking me.
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