September 18th, 2008
I am not one who can function well on little sleep. No amount of caffeine can alleviate the wanton urge to close my eyes and drift off to a peaceful slumber. Not even the loudest most irritating alarm can get me out of bed on time. I am grouchy, impatient and often agitated easily when I’m tired. There really is no consoling me aside from just letting me go to sleep.
That? That doesn’t happen with children.
I was hesitant about having children for that very reason. I would have to forgo sleep for an unknown number of years.
Petty right? Don’t have children because they affect my ability to sleep in. Yup. Selfish.
Carter was a great sleeper as an infant. He’d wake to eat, then right back to sleep; he was the baby of my dreams. But as a toddler? He rises and falls with the sun. There isn’t enough coaxing in the world to get that child back in bed once he’s opened his eyes and seen even the faintest amount of light peaking from behind the blinds.
Doesn’t bode well with a person who loves to sleep.
Then throw an infant into the mix and I’m a walking zombie most days.
Every morning Hudson wakes at 6:30am; I quickly gather him from his bassinet (STILL IN OUR ROOM because Mike isn’t ready for him to move into his crib. *sigh*) and pull him into me as my lay in my bed, hoping not to stir Carter just yet, I quickly shove a boob in his mouth to smother his coos and squawks for food.
But my efforts are usually futile since Carter has hawk like senses and is up and jumping from the bed before Hudson even gets a latch. Seriously, that kid could hear a penny drop about 6 blocks away.
The door opens with a creak from the years of paint on the jam: then silence. Waiting for another sound, he stands in his doorway. As soon as he hears something, anything he comes running to my room, It’s wake up time Mommy! he states. Every. Single. Morning. Then he questions, Where’s Daddy? I don’t know if he expects that the answer will differ each day; but without fail, he asks.
I fade in and out of consciousness as I try and play defense. Keeping Carter from poking and tickling (which is more like shoving his needle-like fingertips into your gut) Hudson while he eats is like trying to separate a PMSing woman from chocolate. I try to coax him from the room with Hot Wheels waiting for him in the living room, or sending him to go pee - just to buy myself a couple extra minutes; but he is relentless.
I’m up. I’m up!
Once Hudson’s finished we all make our way downstairs. Hudson gets placed in his swing, the television is tuned into Dora, orange juice and Nutrigrain bar are distributed while the coffee brews. I plunk myself down in the overstuffed arm chair waiting for that sweet beep telling me my lifeline is prepared for injection. Sweet delicious coffee.
As I sip my coffee and peruse The Blogs while we relax, I peek over the top of my laptop to see Carter sitting peacefully on the couch, fingers threaded behind his head, lounging back on the sofa: the baby seeing his fingers for the first time, mezmorized in his swing.
They ain’t half bad these early mornings.
:::
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I was that way once upon a time. Now my damn kids have ruined me. I’m the one springing awake at the butt crack of dawn and prowling the house, unable to go back to sleep as the kids snore peacefully in their beds.
I take revenge by banging on pot lids to wake their sorry arses up.
I don’t feel an ounce of shame either.
Kids. Gah.
September 18th, 2008 at 11:57 am
@ Redneck Mommy:
You shouldn’t feel shame! I’m already planning my revenge for the future!
September 18th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
Two suggestions: blackout drapes and a mix cd to play while Carter sleeps. Might help block the light and/or sounds from the rest of the house?
September 18th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Ah yes. Mornings.
My kids have always been early risers. Ryan was bad when he was little….he was usually up by 5am. Now that he’s older it’s better…about 6:30..which I can deal with. Kyle has always slept later….usually between 6:30-7.
It’s been hard for someone who doesn’t get to full consciousness until about noon…but we manage. Now Ryan has to start school at 7:30….which means we need to be out the door by 7:15. yeah. I dislike mornings.
September 18th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
I love the little picture you painted here.
September 18th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
@ iMommy:
Oh, we’ve been there. Fans for white noise, blackout blinds they worked a little but not that great. I think he’s just like his father - early riser. Sucks.
September 18th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
@ mamatulip:
But not as great as what you would have, Birthday Girl
September 18th, 2008 at 3:55 pm
@ Brenda:
When I was working Carter was woken up at 6am everyday so that we could be out of the house at at daycare by 7am. I do NOT miss that.
September 18th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
my kids wake up after me on weekdays and before me on weekends. it’s entirely unfair. heh.
September 18th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
@ ali:
TOTALLY unfair. I was waking Carter for school and getting told off because he didn’t want to get up… now? He’s awake at the ass crack of dawn and raring to go!
September 18th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
Mornings are so brutal. I used to work nights before having my daughter. I still feel like I need to curl up into bed at 8am.
That cup o’ joe looks divine
September 19th, 2008 at 12:00 am
@ Sandy (Momisodes):
It feels like the older they get the more I want to stay in bed! Haha!
And that coffee was FABULOUS this morning!
xox
September 19th, 2008 at 12:03 am
I’m the same about sleep. Fortunately, Pumpkinpie is a good sleeper now that she’s older, and the Bun is better than she was about sleeping as a baby, so it’s not too painful for now. (Can’t last, can it?) But hey, at least you have winter coming, so maybe Carter will stay in bed later with the longer dark hours?
September 19th, 2008 at 5:54 am
I am the same way about my sleeping. I take sleeping seriously. Now with that being said, I have twin girls that feels 6am is a perfect time to wake up every single morning! Most days I treasure the time I spend with them before the chaos of the day starts but I really wish they would sleep in until noon.
September 19th, 2008 at 8:17 am
i haven’t drank caffeine for about 5 years (personal choice) and i use it as my excuse constantly, hah. i’m like, “i’m sleepy,” and my husband will say, “me too,” and i go, “yeah…but *I* don’t drink caffeine…”
September 19th, 2008 at 10:00 am
@ Jennifer (prayedforone):
Sleeping is not to be taken lightly.
And ya, even though their cute when they just wake up… I’d so rather sleep! LOL
September 19th, 2008 at 10:08 am
@ kittenpie:
I’d love for Carter to sleep longer in the winter, but I’m not holding my breath.
I am so glad that Bun’s sleeping! That’s fantastic!
September 19th, 2008 at 10:11 am
What is it with little kids and sharp, pokey fingers anyway?
September 19th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
Man…at this point, if my kid slept through the night, I wouldn’t care if she got up at 6 am. Wait. No, I still totally would care.
September 21st, 2008 at 1:50 am
@ heather…:
Ya, totally care. LOL 6am for one child isn’t so bad as being up through the night AND getting up for the day at 6!
Coffee. Coffee and more coffee!
September 21st, 2008 at 9:24 pm