Sleeping Arrangements

I am tired today. Not bone exhausted like you are in the first couple of months of your baby's life, when you don't know whether it is night or day, or Tuesday or Saturday. I don't know about everyone else, but we have always had trouble with sleeping in our house. The how & where seems to snag us up. It took until he was 5 for Jack to finally fall asleep on his own in bed, and I STILL have to be sitting in the hallway. Abbey is a little bit better, but she still wants me to lay with her a lot, which since she is in a toddler bed means laying on the floor. Comfy. Also, if she has had any bit of a tiny little nap during the day, I might as well forget it. She just IS NOT tired. Most of the time I just let her go to the couch and watch a couple of Dora's and she goes to sleep at like 10! It's not too bad because she doesn't have to get up early for school like Jack, but I need MY TIME.

So our bedtime routine leaves a lot to be desired. And once everyone is asleep, chances are that they won't stay asleep. We all start out in our own beds, sleeping soundly and by morning we could be anywhere. I'm in bed with both kids, Dennis is in Jack's bed. I'm in Jack's bed with him, Abbey & Dennis are in our bed. The kids are in our bed, I'm in Jack's and Dennis is on the couch. The poor dog is so confused, he doesn't know who he should lay down with (yes, even our dog doesn't like to sleep alone). As far as I can tell, I am the only one who wants to sleep alone. I crave an empty bed like an alcoholic craves a drink. A fantasy I have is to check into a hotel for 2 days and just stay in my pajamas and lounge around alone in bed.

I know I am not alone in this. I only know 1 mother (Laurie, lucky) who puts her kids to bed, kisses them goodnight, closes the door and doesn't hear a peep from them for 10 - 12 hours. But this is very, very rare.

Oh well, I'm sure we will get it right one of these years. I have always been a firm believer in the "whatever works for you" mentality. If you are happy with your routine and everyone is getting rest, by all means have a family bed. Sleep together in a tent in the yard, whatever you want to do. And usually everyone in my house seems to be getting enough sleep, except for perhaps ME. But I think this lack of sleep is just a normal side effect of mothering, right? I mean, I've never heard of a teenager sleeping in bed with their parents, so this can't go on forever, right? Right? It can't, right?