Sunday, September 25, 2011

I wasn't quite so gracious

Find the rest here.

I've mentioned before how Amber Dusik's blog, Parenting. Illustrated with Crappy Pictures, is sort of a window into my soul daily life. When I read her most recent post on the perils of falling asleep when one joins young children to play on the floor, I was simultaneously spraying coffee out of my nose laughing, and hanging my head in just a little bit of shame. Just the day before I was laying on the living room floor reading some newly acquired library books with Alyce, when the reality of that morning's 5:00 wake-up hit me hard. It was one of those tireds where nothing could get in the way of me passing out right then and there.

Nothing except Alyce, that is.

I closed my eyes and fell asleep for 47 seconds, and at first Alyce was all sweet, reading me a story and giving me bear to cuddle with. I applauded her efforts. And then I made my big mistake: I thought I could convince Alyce to steal away thirty minutes with me in bed upstairs (Shira was already sleeping, luck duck that she is). Come on, Alyce! We could snuggle in my big bed! You could read books!! Mama could rest!! It will be a fun game!!! I believe she truly had the best of intentions, but she's three, and in my tired stupor I acted as though she were a solid twenty years old. When she declared that it wasn't time to sleep, but time to play princess, I think I actually started crying. I'm a grown woman.

I actually tried to fight her on the details. No, Alyce, just let me rest of five minutes! Can't you just play in your room? Why are you trying to murder me? (I didn't actually say that last one, but we all know it's a valid question.) Dusick embraced the sweetness of her children, and most of all, she realized that she wasn't actually going to get rest. Me, not so much. Instead I was annoyed that my three-year-old couldn't appreciate my need for some sleep.

I've never claimed to be perfect. Sometimes I am quite the parenting fool. You and me, both. Right?

Right?

5 comments:

  1. Yep, been there, too... (and my husbands whiney mantra to my older son when he was a baby and wouldn't sleep? "You're trying to kill us... let us sleep...")

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  2. Oh, so right. I've bargained and cajoled, whined and even yelled when that sleep risk window hits. When I was pregnant and teaching full time, I'd rest my forehead on my desk during afternoon recess and actually fall asleep, to be awakened by the bell 15 minutes later with barely enough time to wipe the drool off my desk before the kids came in. I always thought there was something wrong with me. NOW my kids are old enough (4 and 6) to watch a movie during "quiet time" when their 2 year old sister naps that I can slip up to my bed. Even 20 minutes is enough to snap me out of that zone of extreme tiredness.
    My mantra was "FOR THE LOVE OF GOD! MOMMY CAN'T TAKE CARE OF YOU IF I DON'T HAVE A WEE REST!!" That was in my worst periods of fatique (new baby times)...yeah, I've already accepted that my kids will be in therapy because of me someday...

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  3. Thanks, you two. We'll have to remember to write up a post in ten or twenty years when we get some rest.

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  4. Oh, do I ever hear ya.

    My favourite part about being overtired with little ones is clinging to the edge of the cot, imploring, "Why won't you go to sleep? Just tell me what you need, and I'll get it for you. What do you want?"

    ...AND ACTUALLY EXPECTING AN ANSWER. :-)

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  5. Why don't the answer us? If only they realized I would actually get them their own pony if they just gave me some time to sleep. Seriously, I would find a way.

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