Not This Again : In Search of Sleep

When asked what my daugthers do well the first thing I tend to answer is "sleep". My husband always rolls his eyes at this but really I think it is pretty impressive. They were going down at seven every night and not waking up until seven thirty most mornings. And still taking a two hour nap most days.

Notice I said were. Lately the naps have been few and far between for Miss Calamity Jane. Occasionally she crashes out but usually she plays and continually opens the door and slams it when she sees me. (Desmonda Drama naps in a pack and play in the guest room, for two hours still. Guess who is moving up the favorite child list?). And it's fine, she is three. I know a lot of kids stop napping around this time.

But this morning Calamity Jane strolled on in our room, naked, at six thirty in the morning. Oh hell no. THAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.

You see, I need my sleep. You may scoff at the validity of this but my body needs about nine hours a night. I can survive well on eight and just be slightly exhausted on seven but anything less than seven and I am a raging bitch from hell. I can't be held responsible for my actions.

So yeah, infant twins was just awesome for me. Especially since they weren't sleeping through the night until thirteen months. I gained back almost all the baby weight I had lost; I turned into a raving lunatic; I hated the world. It wasn't pretty. It's part of the reason i don't see us having another child unless said child comes with a sleeping through the night at six weeks guarantee.

This morning was a reminder of those insane days. I was so blurred and on edge. I found myself yelling at the girls and putting them in time out for things I would laugh off on another day. Though really girls every morning the toaster has to toast the bread, bread does not come out of the bag toasted as nice as that would be. screaming at me that you want toast is not going to change that fact.

When my husband came out of the room I told him that he was going to have to start getting up with the girls because I couldn't exist on this little sleep.

His suggestion was that I start going to bed earlier but I NEED those four hours between seven and eleven. It's when I clean the house up, readjust my stress levels, and get in my TV. Not to mention it's the only time I have with him. Something's got to give and it's not going to be me getting up before seven.

Now how to explain this concept to a three year old with s stubborn streak and limited verbal skills. That my friends, is the million dollar question.