Bed Hopping, Pretend Playing and Other Wee Morning Hour Shenanigans

Sound sexy?  It's so not.   

After yesterday afternoon's public meltdown I assumed The Boy would have a good night's sleep. 

Hahaahahhaaaaaaaaaaa!  I am a foolish woman.  I guess all the little changes (a week off, new classroom - HHG summer session, and yesterday's cancelled OT session) have thrown him off of his routine.  And whenever there's change in routine,  that's usually when our sleep suffers.

I say "our" because when The Boy's up - we're all up.  Well, last night it was just me.  The Husband slept through it.

At about 2 am - I hear The Boy talking.  I open my eyes and realize the hall way light is on and he's sitting there with Linny, Tuck and Ming Ming.  (The Wonder Pets.)  I scoop The Boy up and take him back into his room.  I get into his bed, hoping he'll fall back asleep.  But somewhere between the hallway and The Boy's bed, Tuck has fallen.  And The Boy needs all three.  So he crawls over me and finds Tuck. 

"Go sleep in Mommy's bed,"  he says.          

So I get up and follow him into our bed with Linny, Tuck and Ming Ming too.  After 20 minutes of The Boy rolling around.  He gets up and goes back into his room.  I hear him start pulling out toys.  I hear him talking to himself.  Pretend playing with his Wonder Pets.  He is reciting lines from "I Was So Mad"  and "Toy Story."  There's also some spontaneous speech thrown in.  "Rise and shine.  It's time to go to school." His words are clear and his voice has emotion and kind of sing songy.  And part of me, doesn't want to disturb him; he's playing so appropriately.

But it's almost 3 am.  And I'm tired.  Exhausted actually.  And The Boy has school.  And I need to go to work.  So I get out of bed and go into his room.  I give him the look  and he hurries into his bed.  I climb in next to him (again). 

"Okay Norrin, it's time to go to sleep."
"We have to go to school?"  He asks.
"Yes.  First school.  Then Grandma.  Then Miss Natalie."  I say.


This continues for the next 2 hours.  Hopping between beds.  The Boy pulling out toys and books, playing and reciting lines.  Me, drifting in and out of a light sleep.  The Boy walking throughout the apartment, turning on lights.  Me, getting up and turning them off, kicking legos to the side, trying not to slip on toy cars, ushering him back into his room.  I've given up on getting him to sleep but I at least try to contain him in one place.

By 5 am, The Boy is still up and my alarm goes off.  The Boy is starting to calm down, he's getting sleepy.  I can tell by the way he's sitting and staring off.  I know he'll go to sleep only to be woken up by 6:45.  And I really haven't slept.  Remember the kind of day I had.  Momma had to pull out the Jeremiah Weed Sweet Tea (vodka) and make herself a serious glass of mommy juice.  And I didn't got to sleep until a little after a 11.

And then I thought about that article - about how the "GTF to Sleep" book isn't funny.  I've read the book.  It's funny.  Hilarious actually.  And obviously, I know enough not to read this to The Boy.  And I am the kind of parent who reads every day to their child.  So I'm allowed to think this book is funny.

You know what isn't funny?  Waking up at 2 am and staying up.  And I can't even tell you how many times I wanted to just scream "Go the F--k to Sleep."
 
Well, maybe I yelled it once - around 4 am - but without the F-Bomb.           

Here's hoping tonight is a better night.  And if it isn't - The Husband will not be sleeping through it.