By Ellen
The other day I realized that I had not had a good night's sleep in eight months. And I found myself thinking that I would actually pay money to sleep for eight hours straight with no interruption.
When my daughter was three months old, my husband took me to stay in a hotel overnight, while my sisters watched Anna. I was so excited. Dinner! A movie! A real night's sleep!
But I found myself too preoccupied to enjoy dinner, and too tired to go see a movie. We ended up just crashing at the hotel, where I had a horrible night's sleep due to a cruddy mattress and loud air conditioner. Anna, as I was informed when I returned home, had a fluke sleeping-through-the-night episode. Oh well. We tried.
My daughter is finally sleeping through the night. Well, sometimes. Sometimes she still wakes up three times before greeting the day at 5 a.m. I still don't sleep well, what with my super-sensitive mommy ears and snoring husband. But I am trying to remember that this is a sleep-deprived season in my life, and someday I might actually miss the night feedings and back pats. Right now, however, I'd still pay money for that sleep.
Oh I feel your pain. I have one twin who is still a terrible sleeper: http://www.slolane.org/archives/2005/10/advanced_tortur.html
P.S. Whatever drugs you're taking Robin, you should share! ;)
Posted by: Angela | October 22, 2005 at 12:17 AM
Thank you! This comic is wonderful. I feel like that most nights. My son is nearly 20 months old and *still* will not sleep for more than 3-4 hours at a time. And daddy isn't good enough in the middle of the night, he always wants me.
My brain is so frazzled. My work suffers. I'm surprised that I maintain consciousness most days. This morning, I spent a good 10 minutes wandering around the kitchen in search of the jar of apple sauce. Which I was carrying in my hand. While I searched...
Posted by: Nicola | October 18, 2005 at 05:17 PM
Oh I am SO with you! My son is 11 months old and still only sleeps 2-3 hours at a time. And since he won't take a pacifier, he wants to use me as his soother so he nurses all during the night too! He won't take a bottle either, so his dad can't even help out there. I think the last time I had a full night's sleep was over a year ago when I was pregnant. I'd give just about ANYTHING to get 8 hours! I just keep repeating, "This too shall pass".
Posted by: Tracy | October 17, 2005 at 03:27 PM
Been there, done that, although briefly (yes, I am one of those mutant parents whose first child slept from 8pm to 8am at roughly 8 weeks!). But I am currently 8 months preggo with our second baby and am sure that she will make up for the fact that her big brother was such a good sleeper. In the meantime, I am experiencing all of the "joys" that go along with being 8 months pregnant - and have not had a decent night's sleep in several months now. I'm not relishing the thought of the even more sleepless nights to come, but am trying to remember to stay in the moment knowing that this will probably be my last child as well and they will NEVER be this tiny again. :) Coincidentally, I was forwarded a wonderful essay from Anna Quindlen last week which I posted on my blog... it's helped me gain a little perspective. I share it with you now in the hopes that it might lift your sleepy spirits a bit - http://wickedstepmom.blogspot.com/2005/10/staying-in-moment.html
Posted by: Wicked Stepmom | October 16, 2005 at 01:31 PM
I'll take Anna for one week!You sleep!
I loved when Lillianna got up in the middle of the night and early in the morning.I know I'm crazy but it was fun for me. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
Posted by: Robin P | October 16, 2005 at 07:57 AM
My son is 6 months old and the last time I slept four consecutive hours was in February, when I was 7 months pregnant.
I find myself doing really stupid things lately. I forget stuff every day. Last week I was making a grocery list and wrote "all purpose flower".
Are you sure this doesn't last forever? Will I get my brain back someday?
Posted by: Kim | October 15, 2005 at 10:49 PM
I think you're through the worst now, unless of course you decide to reproduce again. With both of mine, I hit the wall at about 6 months. Now, the oldest is three and sleeps very well. The youngest just turned one and still wakes up at least once a night, but he's making progress, and I just keep thinking 1)"I should enjoy this rocking and cuddling, it's my last baby and it won't be much longer..." and 2) "surely soon he'll figure it out and I can stop this torture..."
I think of what I thought "tired" was before I had the kids and just laugh now. It'll be decades before I catch up on sleep.
Posted by: Andrea | October 15, 2005 at 10:13 PM
When I had my son, I nearly died waiting until he learned to sleep through the night (7 p.m. until 5:00 a.m.). At last, he was pretty regularly sleeping at six months of age.
When my daughter was born, I told myself I could handle it for six months. Six months came and went. And seven. And eight. I think I was at the hallucinating stage by month nine. See, she'd fall asleep at 6:00 p.m. and sleep until 2:00 a.m. I could NOT keep her up. It was awful. Finally, at ten months old, she got it. The lucky folks who have children sleeping from 8 p.m. until 8 a.m. when their infants are six weeks old are clearly mutants. :)
Posted by: Michelle | October 15, 2005 at 09:03 PM
I hear ya.... man, do I hear ya. My son is almost three, and because I am too afraid he will fall downstairs in his the middle of the night sleep stupor, I still get a call at roughly 2:30am to help ease him back to sleep.
But, I do so remember thinking I will never get more than 2 hours of sleep in one long chunk. Hang in there... it will happen eventually.
Posted by: Bethany | October 15, 2005 at 06:41 PM