Rough Nights

       

              (Note: I'm aware that this picture violates a bunch of rules about babies and blankets. Just know we move the blanket completly away from his face once he is asleep. That is his self soothing mechanisim, rubbing his face on his blanket. Also we aren't idiots.)

 Last night Nash had one of those nights. You know when the kid will fall asleep, then wake up an hour later, not be able to put themselves back to sleep, so you end up rocking until baby has fallen back to sleep and repeat. 

 Luckily, this only last till about 11:30pm so nothing to extreme. Of course while in the middle of it I wanted to pull my hair out. Mainly because these rough nights happen about once a month. So I guess I have gotten use to my sleep again and I would like to keep it that way. 

 Once I got him asleep and laid down for the last time, I crawled into bed and then was, of course, wide awake. I started thinking about how that episode wasn't to bad and that some parents have it much worse. I told myself that soon these sleepless nights would soon be gone in a few years. I mean Cece never wakes up unless she is sick, which is rare and if you even try to get Arlo up in the middle of the night he will most likely take a swing at you. So I started to feel better about the whole thing knowing soon I would have many, many nights of uninterrupted sleep. Then I remembered that I was a mother and that these nights were far from over.

 Rough nights are still in the future and not just for Nash, I mean that's a given but for all our kids. 

 I know the night Cece has her heart broken for the first time, I will be up cautiously hovering just in case she might need me. I will lay in bed and ream that little fucker to Nate until he tells me to go to sleep and I know I wont. Rough night.

 The first time Arlo realizes that he isn't the biggest and the best at something and he comes through our house like a tornado full of rage, I will be up explaining how to use his anger to push himself farther. It wont calm him down and I will lay in bed praying he learns control. Rough Night.

 When Nash misses his curfew for the first time, I will pace the house until he arrives. Then I will lay into him because my worry will immediatly turn to anger. He will apologize and I will most likely stomp off. Rough night.

  I know for each school dance I will be awake until they enter the house. Nate will be in bed but I know he will be up too. Nate is Nate and I'm me and we know God always has a plan in the works to teach us lessons. Seeing how Nate is Nate and I'm me we know with 3 kids we will be receiving lots of lessons in the future. We were no angels in high school or college so there's that. 

 There will be nights when one, two or all three might be stressed about school, sports, friends, love ect. I guess all Nate and I can do on most of those occasions is just share their burden with them. I gotta say Nate excels at that, he doesn't need to use words just his presence. Which is fine since I usually am good with the words part. 

 Once they are grown and have started their own lives, Nate and I will probably be up mainly because we will be old and old people don't sleep that great. But also because I know the quiet will be deafening. Like I said I'm good with words and Nate excels with taking up space with his presence so we will survive. Plus the phone calls we will field from our kids when they have shit to say about their own unruly children will help and will be entertaining not doubt.

 Rough nights, I hope they are few and far between but they are here to stay. 

 Bring it on, we got this.