Sleep Deprivation…

This last week, after having my abdominal surgery, I have not slept well at all. I have been absolutely exhausted. I look back on last week and it was a total blur. Come to think of it, it reminds me of my life for the last 3 years.

For those of you who have newborns, you know what I’m talking about. Those seemingly endless nights of multiple feedings and diaper changes. Then comes the task of tackling sleeping through the night and again what seems like never ending nights of sleep coaching and teaching kids to soothe themselves to sleep. Then comes the toddler years of allowing them a little more freedom of a “big kid bed” once they’ve outgrown the crib. Then it’s even more nights of getting up and ushering little toddling feet back to their beds in an attempt to get them to stay in their rooms.

I must add that every child is different. Mason has never once gotten down from his big boy bed. Brody, on the other hand, has a nightly battle with us to got to bed and stay there. He thinks it’s a fun game to torment us at the end of the day by getting in and out of his bed, before finally giving up abut 15 minutes later once he realizes we’re not letting him get up. Mason didn’t sleep through the night until he was a year old. Brody slept through the night at 9 weeks. So, you just never know what you’re going to get as a parent.

What’s interesting about being a mom is that even though you live on interrupted sleep at best, you are still able to function, keep a household running and accomplish all the necessary tasks. You might not be as organized, get a shower at a decent time every day or always have the healthiest meals prepared, but we do it. We get through each day, sleep terribly and then do it all again.

My kids are sleeping every night in their own rooms, without interruption and for that I am forever grateful. Now, if only I could get myself to go to bed at a decent hour to take advantage of the good sleeping hours available to me, I’d be doing well. At this point, my sleep deprivation is my own fault… I guess it’s just hard to undo a habit that’s been going on for 3 years!