Eventful Nights Sleep

One of the hardest things for me to come to grips with when I was a new mom was the lack of sleep. My first pediatrician told me don't expect a full nights sleep until your child is like 8. I was dumbfounded! Just the mere thought of that gave me heart palpitations. Of course it has been 7 years and 4 pregnancies later and ain't that the truth. Last night I fell asleep right away (unusual at this stage of pregnancy). But about 3 o'clock I woke up and just couldn't go back to sleep. Well, about 10 minutes later the dog starts barking. We had not put her in her cage so I am sure she was barking at a possum or raccoon. So hubby gets up and puts her in her cage. About a half hour later Little Mama comes in. She has had a nightmare. Oh how I want to just tell her "It will be OK, just go back to bed." But something inside me says "NO, get up and tuck her in and reassure her that everything is OK and that mommy and daddy are here. She is safe." Since Nature Girl was born we have had a rule that nobody gets in bed with us. Not for any reason. Somebody once gave me that advice. They can come in our room with sleeping bags etc. just not in the bed. Honestly I liked the rule. I am a light sleeper and hubby's alarm goes off in the middle of the night. It is a rule that just works for us. So, over the years I have been a little more creative. When someone wakes up and needs me I comfort them and then I will sleep on the couch. They like it. It is an acceptable compromise. Once in awhile I will hear them come out and check to make sure I am still there. And I am on the couch with my blankie and pillow. When they are sick, I have been known to sleep in the hall outside there door so the minute they need me I am there. There have been times when one of them wakes up real early and the chance of them going to back to sleep is slim so they will climb in bed with us and snuggle for an hour or so until it is time to get up. So, last night Little Mama said "Will you sleep on the couch." "Sure." I said. I hugged and kissed her, tucked her in, grabbed my blankie and headed for the couch. And that is where I woke up at 7:00AM this morning. Actually, pretty rested. I have learned to deal with the middle of the night awakenings. They are all part of being a mom. I now am thankful for the nights that I get a full nights sleep . . .