Strong, Yummy, Unhearing MEN

I take this hunky man as my husband in sleeplessness and in slumber.

How can it be? How can men--or, at least, my man--not hear wailing kids right beside them in the dead of night? How is it that I truly am mother: sleeping with one eye open, one foot on the floor, ready to go at the first cry?

I've done a lot of thinking about sleep lately. I'm up several times a night, often with an active mind that keeps me from falling back to sleep too easily. But I think I'm also a little obsessed with it because I know I'll soon be getting less of it, much less.

It really is amazing what the human body can do despite months and months of sleep deprivation. I have experienced my tired body carrying kids, keeping a house, safely driving a vehicle and even contributing at work. For me, it means headaches and weight loss and longing. But I know I'm about to do it all again, and I'll make it through.

But Shrek? Forget it.

Last night, each of the boys was up twice. Colby has improved a lot with his sleep habits in the past month or two. The first time he woke up, I went to his room and found his binky for him, and he was back to sleep in his crib in seconds. Then Max woke up. Poor kid has his mysterious fever virus again. So I doctored him up, and he, too, went back to sleep. The second time he woke up, I kicked Shrek and said, "Can you go? It's either Max or Colby. I think it's Max." So he went to investigate. I woke up to Colby's cries a few hours later, around 6 a.m. Shrek was not in bed, so I knew he must have lain down with Max. I gathered Colby to my bed and tried to get him to go back to sleep. No dice.

So, to the couch for us, for a snugglefest and then the news and weather. And Max and his daddy slept until 8. I picked the wrong kid last night!

As true as all this is, this narrow gap in ages between Colby and the new babe is going to force more help from Daddy, at all hours. So then we'll both be really sleep-deprived and short in temper. It will be tough, but we'll make it.

Because damned if he can't hear at night, I love my man and all the great things he brings to my life and to the lives of our kids.

So I'll keep kicking and asking for help when I need it. And I'll sleep when I'm dead.