Precious Memories, How They Linger.....

...and stinky memories, how they fade.  Thank goodness for that!  Sleep has been a pretty elusive subject around here lately.  What....the past 4 years or so?  A friend reminded me once that sleep deprivation is a torture treatment so when I'm at my wit's end, I try to remember that.  Some time ago I joked that my death certificate would surely read, "Time of Death:  Bedtime".  Ugh!

I know, I know.  One day these kids will be teenagers, and I won't be able to wake them before noon.  And it's all going to happen so fast.  I know that.  I've seen the time flying already.  I'm writing this post for a couple of reasons.  One reason is that I'm sure every stage of parenting is just like the first:  labor and childbirth.  Just as women forget the pains of childbirth, I think people must forget the pains of every stage.  I can barely remember what it was like to have a newborn in the house.  Barely.  And I'm only 18 months out.  So, one day I know I won't really remember what it was like to have a preschooler and a toddler in the house.  I won't remember the tears (theirs and mine) because no one can figure out why no one can sleep.  I won't remember all the things I tried to bring on sleep (theirs and mine).  I won't remember all the things I thought of doing to bring on sleep (mainly theirs).

The second reason is to remind myself that people actually are sleeping.  Maybe not as much as I'd like, but we're getting enough to get by.  You know, sometimes when you're in the middle of something, everything seems so extreme.

Here's proof that people are sleeping.

An early bedtime.  Both asleep by 5 pm.

One day I decided JayBird might fall asleep more easily in the evening if I eliminated his mid-day nap.  See how that worked out?

Nap Elimination Day 1:  Fail.

When they awaken in the evenings, The Papa and I have to really watch one another to be sure we aren't being "too exciting".  Why are they so fun, and why are they so sweet when they're supposed to be sleeping?

This was around 9:30 one night after he'd already been asleep, then awake.  That's a fairly well-played movie around here.

Nap time.  Guess who.

I'm pretty sure if I hadn't written this post, I would look back in 30 years and think this must have been what it was like to have two little kids in the house.  It kind of is, if you don't blink.

Sleeping in heavenly peace.