Whack! Smack! Kick!
Part of my recent sleep troubles of the past week can be attributed to the fact that Nathan is of in the wilds of Iowa, leaving Sarah and I to fend for ourselves. Somewhere along the way we had gotten into this habit that when Daddy was away, Sarah would sleep in our bed. I tried to talk her out of it this time, with very little success. So, I built the barrier of pillows down the middle of my bed and hoped that I would get some sleep at some point.
A friend of mine, who has been a lifesaver helping me deal with single parenting, noticed that I seem to be walking in a state of permanent zombie-hood and unable to focus, helped me pressure Sarah into agreeing to sleep in her own bed last night.
Of course, gaining agreement and actually succeeding required a battle of epic proportions including torture:
8:30 pm:
Me: Sarah, tomorrow I need to get some blood taken, so you need to help me out. I can’t eat until after the blood is drawn, so you need to move quickly in the morning.
Sarah: Does that mean you are going to wake me up really early?
Me: No, but I don’t want you to sleep in too late, okay?
Sarah: Okay.
9:15 pm: Me: Sarah get into bed. (A little late, but it is summer).
She slowly and hesitantly gets into bed and says: “What if I get scared?”
Me: Why should you be more scared here than in my bed? There is no difference, and I’ll be right across the hall.
I get her settled into bed and then go into my own bed to read for a while. Both bedroom doors are open.
9:30 pm: Mumbling and talking from Sarah’s Room.
Me: Go to sleep!
Sarah: Mommy, I love you! I hear her stand up, and she stumbles into my room. I love you.
Me: I love you too, but go back to bed.
She looks at me like I crushed her, and then goes back to bed.
9:30-10:15 or so: Occasional mumblings and talking and other attempts to get my attention and make me believe she must be in my bed.b
10:30: All seems quiet. I decide I need to sleep. I turn of my light.
Sarah: I can’t sleep if you turn your light off!
Frustrated, I turn the light back on, but I will not give in completely: Go to sleep! You are not getting in my bed!
10:45: All is silent. Lights out, I start to fall asleep.
11:?? Sarah stumbles into the bathroom. I hold my breath hoping she will not try another technique. She finally goes back to bed.
I slept better last night, but of course Sarah needed to sleep in. So, now I am hungry and grumpy and need to have my blood sucked.
But at least she slept in her own bed.
Sarah sort of sleeping
Jun 03, 2011 @ 08:23:45
Between pregnant women, babies, kids, parents of #2 and #3, parents of teens who are out for the evening, garden variety insomniacs, menopausal and post-menopausal women, and people seriously in need of a trip to Mattress Discounters, does anyone actually sleep anymore?
Jun 03, 2011 @ 09:08:05
Good point Renee. Maybe that’s one of the problems of society, we are all completely sleep deprived.
Jun 03, 2011 @ 10:09:22
Oh. I. feel. you. The Man Child was up all night
Hope you get some breakfast soon!
Jun 03, 2011 @ 10:20:08
Your pain is much worse than mine. Of course, before I got breakfast I sat in the lab for about 20 minutes waiting for them to deal with a computer glitch. That would have been fine, except that I had to give a urine sample today too, and drank a big glass of water to make sure I could go. Pee-pee dance in the chair! I treated myself to double breakfast goodies after that.
Jun 03, 2011 @ 12:17:53
You got there in the end bless her! you should do the supernanny technique
Jun 03, 2011 @ 12:34:15
I’ve tried some supernanny techniques. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t. The problem is that Sarah has watched Supernanny with me, so she “knows” the techniques. Sometimes I think she is too smart for MY own good.
Jun 03, 2011 @ 13:56:59
Sleep . . . glorious sleep. Hope you and Sarah both snooze up a storm tonight.
Jun 03, 2011 @ 14:19:46
My daughter always sleeps in my bed whenever my husband is out of town. She sleeps, I do not. She’s terrible to sleep with!
Sorry you’re tired, hungry, and low on blood. Hope the weekend will be better!
-FringeGirl
Jun 03, 2011 @ 19:36:36
I think they become giants as they sleep so they can occupy as much space as possible.
Jun 03, 2011 @ 17:05:20
I think everyone needs to spend some time…unplugged…unconnected…uninterneted(I made a new word)
Sleep is so beautiful…like all lovely things…you only appreciate it when it is too late.
Jaye
Jun 03, 2011 @ 19:35:56
I like your new word!
Jun 07, 2011 @ 11:17:14
Just think someday you will be wishing she wanted to sleep with you again lol
Jun 07, 2011 @ 18:19:00
I don’t think so . . .;)