Sleep, Children & Life

Children and Sleep generally don't mix. Mara Kate didn't sleep through the night until she was at least a year old. I love sleep and losing sleep when I became a parent was probably the biggest hurdle I encountered. Maybe that is because when you don't get enough sleep everything else seems harder and more difficult.

I not only love sleep, I need sleep--and lots of it to feel good and normal. I am not like my husband who can get up early no matter what time he went to bed and just press through the day and actually think about important things, function normally and contribute. I am not like my younger sister who can stay up until the wee hours of the morning reading or baking or whatever, then get up early the next day and be in a good mood! Not me. I need more sleep than most people and when I don't get it I don't do very well. I am aware that I get really grumpy and tend to think only about when I can lay my head back on my pillow again.

When you are a mom, going back to sleep isn't an option so I've had to learn to just deal with it as much as possible (which probably isn't very much at all). Thankfully I have a husband who is extremely gracious and kind and cares for me in the area of sleep. I'm thankful he understands that, for me ample sleep is truly more of a need than just a want. He is a morning person by nature (ask his parents who had to get up with him at 5am every day as a child) and gets up at least 2 hours before having to go to work because he enjoys his early morning routine. When Mara Kate wakes up in the mornings he gets her up, changes her diaper and feeds her breakfast. He lets me sleep in every day until a few minutes before he has to go to work. Isn't that wonderful?! Yes, it truly is and I know I am very blessed because of this and I appreciate his efforts greatly!

On Thursday mornings Kane leaves for work an hour earlier than usual to go to his guy's Bible Study...so, if Mara Kate is awake when he leaves (and she usually is---she is a morning person too, just like her Daddy) then I don't get to sleep as late. Today is Thursday and I got up earlier than I'd like. And, even though I was grumpy the first few minutes after I woke up, I left my head on the pillow and with a little girl squirming beside me, I reminded myself that this precious little girl is much more important than an extra hour of sleep. Even though in that moment it doesn't feel like it when you are still half asleep and oh, so tired and haven't had a drop of caffeine yet. I told myself that I should gladly get up so Kane can get to his Bible Study--I mean, there isn't anywhere else I'd rather have my husband go early in the morning. So, after a few more minutes of laying there, half awake and half asleep I get up. I get my coffee and start my day. I am a little tired and I definitely plan on retiring early tonight, but until then I will strive to be in a good mood and remember, there are things that are much more important than sleep! And, I am so blessed to have those very important things in my life!

To my dear sweet husband: Kane, I reserve the right to be grumpy again next week when I wake up, but just know once I get my coffee and I take time to thank God for my wonderful husband and my precious little girl I'll be just fine! Love you!!