I don't know why our kids don't sleep at night but after being up with Kaitlyn for three hours in the middle of the night and through numerous other wakings I could hardly sit up this morning let alone talk.I am sure the poor contractor who came knocking and woke me up thought I was a morning lush, I didn't even make sence to myself!
It is late now and I am beat, have a great weekend and here are a few photos of our day....craft distractions and the reality of the state the house falls to when I am too tired to pick up us as they go along.
Enjoy!
7 comments:
Anna, the pictures are great! Oh the weather is frightful! It's tough to be stuck inside; you do such a great job of keeping the kids busy (or is it vice versa?).
We were inside all day yesterday, a whole lotta snow, hubs boss even called to say the office was closed. They never do that!
Hope you get rid of the blahs soon. Spring is really just around the corner!
I have no idea about your particular situation, but I feel so bad for you trying to function on no sleep, so please take this for what it's worth. It's just some thoughts that may or maynot apply to your situation. First if you are a coffee and or coke drinker, and a breast feeder, you might be feeding your little ones caffiene. Another thought is "are you making it worth while for the kids to get up at night". Do they get rewarded with hugs, play and snacks when getting up in the middle of the night? I'm not saying you shouldn't hug your children but if you are inadvertantly rewarding your kids for getting up in the night, you're shooting yourself in the foot. It usually takes 3 to 4 consecutive nights of no reward and maybe some crying when they're forced to stay in bed and then like magic, they sleep through. I know by reading your blog that you are a great mom so don't beat yourself up for letting them cry 3 nights in a row. It is for their big picture benefit. They will enjoy full night sleeps too and will enjoy interacting with a well rested happy mommy who can't wait to do crafts. I hope this creates some decusion with your friends that know you. They may have good suggestions that are more revalant to you. I'll check back in a week or two. Good luck and I'll be thinking of you. Hope you get some rest.
I'm so sorry your kids don't sleep! Mine were the same way. The good news is eventually (for mine about age 3) they do start sleeping through the night. But I remember years of sleep deprived incoherence. Looks like you are doing a great job anyway. That house looks thoroughly enjoyed by the kids, but still clean underneath. Try to get some weekend rest.
Sleep, kids, sleep! Mommy needs the break!!!
Awesome pictures, though. Don't know how you manage to still take pictures!
Heidi :)
The Princess slept like a dream - 12 hours through the night at 7 weeks old. Bad hasn't gone to sleep since he was born. Lol - okay, that's not QUITE true, but it sure feels like it sometimes! Some kids just aren't good sleepers, no matter what you do.
Poor you. Poor me. It can't last forever, and one day they'll be teenagers and we'll be dragging them out of bed for school by their feet!
Love you, Love you Anna!! I think Anonymous has a good point about caffiene - research it a bit online. The effect of caffeine is 3 times stronger in kids than adults, and takes 3 times longer to leave their bodies! It may take a while to wean them off the caffeine, they won't necessarily sleep thru the night the very next day - and they may experience withdrawal, it's common but won't harm them. Do they have allergies or sinus problems? I know that can affect sleep too. There are always those kids that don't sleep well, but there is always a reason, and it can take some research and work to figure it out. I never, ever let my kids cry at night, despite the critics and culture who say you should. However, I did not ever let them get out of bed either. I layed there until they fell asleep again, or got them warm milk, etc. Children long for consistency, it gives them loving boundaries and knowing what to expect and look forward to, and that really comforts them. I know it may be hard, but a schedule can also be the trick (as long as all else is ok). Can you try this for a week or two every night: bath, story, warm milk, pray, cuddle, sleep, over and over in the same order? I just learned this from a new friend who learned it from "Growing Kids Gods Way", and it has worked amazingly for those who stick with it. There are always things to mess up schedules, trust me I know! Try as best you can to plan for inconsistency (ie: daddy home late, late night out, etc). You ARE AN AMAZING WOMAN AND MOMMY - the best I have ever seen, way better than me!!!!!!!! So sift through my thoughts and take what you can. These are just things I've learned and seen. I hope you get some rest soon - it can make ALL the difference!
Well honey, I am not going to give you any well-meaning advice about how to get your kids to sleep better, because you didn't ask for it. And what works for my kids may not work for yours anyway.
But let me just say that you're awesome. And you deserve some sleep, so I hope you get it soon!
LOVE the pics!
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