- I think eventually a woman stops having children because she can’t go without sleep any longer. I get sleep. It’s just fractured sleep. This morning Ben woke me at around 2 am, before he went to bed, to give me the baby to feed. I knew that when he woke me, I startled and looked like a wide-eyed deer in headlights, but I couldn’t help myself. As I pulled myself out of the sandman’s grip, I attempted to perform actions that showed some logical thinking. I looked at the clock and counted on my fingers the hour since her last feeding. I grabbed my breasts to see if they felt full. I’m sure, to his alert eyes, I looked like a half-deranged maniac, touching myself, looking all around, and wiggling my fingers in front of my face. I fell asleep with the baby cradled in my arm after I fed her, but that’s only half correct. I actually dozed off. It seems my infant daughter either suffers from restless leg syndrome or just likes to kick me all night. So from feeding time till my alarm went off, I drifted in and out. What amazes me the most, though, is how the sound of my alarm magically puts the baby fast asleep and completely motionless. Once I’m up, she is so still I have to check to make sure she’s breathing. So if you see me out and notice the bags under my eyes, you’ll understand.
- Mommy and Daddy aren’t the only tired ones though. The kiddos need more naps than their curious little minds will allow them to succumb to. Point in case, when I arrived home from work last night, Chloe was bouncing off the walls. She was sans nap, and the only thing she knew to do to keep from falling over in a heap on the floor was to keep moving, keep talking, and swing on me like I was a jungle gym. Nothing says welcome home after a hard day on your feet than someone using your leg as a horsey. This could only be sustained for so long, so before I knew what happened her mood changed from hyper happy to bereaved bawling. Bailey can also turn on a dime, and decided to make Chloe’s sad solo a depressed duet. They were both exhausted. Nothing says welcome home like screaming, crying children. Thankfully they both passed out in record time.
- I used to be a waitress in my younger years, before nursing became my career. I was thinking today that the two occupations are similar in many ways. In the restaurant, you can be so slow, not a customer in sight. You’re almost bored. Then suddenly the dinner rush hits and it’s pure insanity. In nursing, you’re joking with your co-workers, caught up on all your tasks, patients sleeping, then suddenly it hits the fan. Everyone has pain, gets nauseated, has to use the bathroom, or crashes at the same time. In both occupations, you’ll feel overwhelmed and often short staffed. In each you’ll often feel under appreciated and under paid. You’ll feel like you’re running your legs off, and pray for a break. You will feed others, but skip your own lunch. You’ll say yes Ma’am and yes Sir, even if they’re rude, always exemplifying customer service. My advice to you: when you see a waitress or nurse, say thank you. You may just make their day.
That is all 🙂