Saturday morning, the first thing I did was remark on how rested I felt. Now, this was not an amazing 8 hours of sleep rested. More like, I forgot how nice it can be when my daughter doesn’t wake me up 20 times a night rested.
The next thing I did was wonder how sad it was that I think being woken up 5 (6?) times a night makes for a decent stretch of sleep.
In all honesty, I awoke that morning with an energy I hadn’t felt in months. Where I’ve been accustomed to feeling like I’d rather crawl back under the covers, I was instead ready to go. The majority of my day wasn’t spent half-dozed in front of my laptop, but being productive. My daughter and I read books together, multiple times over. I even managed to sympathize with Buzz’s outbursts in place of raising my voice. I broke up fights without yelling. I gave hugs and played tag and divvied out cupcakes. I was cheery and laughing and damn right chipper, considering.
If I didn’t know better, I could have sworn I could fly.
Which isn’t to say that I still didn’t have my moments. But I wasn’t wallowing in my normal fit of despair before 11 a.m. My head managed to stay above ground until almost 3. That’s 4 extra hours of being present. Of being the kind of mother I wish I was more often.
All because my daughter didn’t wake me up the night before as much.
It’s been so long, I don’t even know how I’d react with 8 full hours of sleep. If I can feel this accomplished after still being riled awake every hour, though, just imagine the possibilities. It’s a scary thought, actually.
How are you surviving??!? I think I’d die without a good solid 7 most nights of the week!! Dang, when you get your sleep you’ll be SuperWoman for sure! 😉
You and me both. Except I didn’t get the gift of sleep this weekend. Coffee! Chocolate! Naptime. Zzzzzzz.
@Kate, If you get to take naps, then you’re still doing better than me. I’ll be happy to take some chocolate, though. Good thing I have my sons leftover bday cake for later.
@jesser, Obviously not very well. You just get used to it? No, that’s a lie. I haven’t had an uninterrupted full night of sleep in 7 years (by the time one kid starts sleeping through the night, there’s a newborn in the picture). You’re never used to it.
I have been blessed with a daughter who, since nine weeks of age, has slept through the night. But I well remember those first few weeks and honestly, I cannot imagine going seven years without an uninterrupted night of sleep. Maybe a tent out in the yard one night a week, getting your husband to do the getting up and down might help – if it isn’t already too cold for that!
I need 8 hours of sleep or else I’m a horrible crank. Thankfully my kids seem to get this and leave me alone.
This is another reason why I don’t think I could handle another baby. I like my sleep too much.
Oh what I wouldn’t give for 8 hours of continuous sleep. My daughter wakes up at least once (sometimes twice) during the night.
My kids both sleep close to 9 hours (or more) a night (though the toddler often winds up doing her sleeping in our bed).
However, I’m still sleep deprived because I don’t drag my tail to bed at a decent hour. I need to stop taking my sleeping hours for granted!
It’s true! Your body adjusts, somehow, to those repeated wakings up. So, when you are lucky enough to sleep for longer than 10 minutes, you feel like a brand new woman!!
@Aging Mommy, Unfortunately, my daughter screams bloody murder if I’m not there when she wakes up. It has to be me. My husband has tried while I hid in another room. The result was very loud.
@Amber, Yeah, yeah, rub it in. heh. I wish my kids would get it. They don’t seem to care, though.
@Rudri Patel, You and me both, though I’d even take waking up the once or twice a night instead of our usual 10.
@Kelly, My kids sleep in our bed, too. I finally kicked my 4 year old out and into his own earlier this year, but my daughter still sleeps with us. I’d be in even worse shape if I had to actually get up all those times she wakes up.
@[email protected], It adjusts, but it isn’t happy about it.