Revelations About Sleep

Now, this is not going to be earthshaking news to those of you with children. We all have learned that sleep eludes us when we bring home that first little bundle of joy. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that with each new sweet pea that comes home, the less sleep the mommy and daddy will get.

I have proudly earned the title of "Sleep Nazi" with some of my close friends. I am big on putting baby in the bed for naps and bedtime sleep. I try and establish a routine and specific bedtime by the time they are 3 or 4 months old. I have to say, that all 3 children thrive on routine and all in all do sleep very well. BUT...... here are some things that I have learned about sleep. No matter how much of a routine you may establish, a good night sleep for Mommy is a moment by moment thing.

Why, you may ask.

Of course, newborns get hungry every 2 to 3 hours. So of course we are up half the night feeding, soothing back to sleep and trying to squeeze in a few moments of shut eye before the next hunger call.

Then you move on to the night waking because they can't find a paci, or lovey, or Bunny Bunny. So you go to your little one find the whatever it may be, tuck them back in and back off to sleep land they go.

Then the list of things that happen at least 2 or 3 times a week.
1. need a drink of water
2. had a bad dream
3. the most dreaded stomach bug (I can hardly post about this one because I hate it so much)
4. the nighttime cough that won't let up
5. monsters in the closet
6. monsters under the bed
7. wind and rain and thunderstorms
8. just checking to see if you really are sleeping in your bed
9. need to tell you something very important that couldn't wait until morning

You get the point here.
(Sorry, even though you did not know I had stopped typing at this point, I had to run upstairs and get HannahBeth. She woke up from her nap at about the same time I sat down to type....)

Anywho.... I have been told that sleep does not improve as the little babes get older due to a whole new world of sleep deprivation due to things such as slumber parties and waiting for children to get home from being out with friends.

But in the midst of this sleep deprived fog, I have found MANY things to be thankful for:

1. a cup of coffee in the morning (or maybe 3)
2. a full night of sleep just when you hit your breaking point after being up 6 nights in a row
3. funny stories
4. and the thing that I am most thankful for and would not take a single wink of lost sleep back because of them. Luke, Hayley, and Hannah Beth

Now, I'm off to pour another cup of coffee and kiss my baby girl.