The Andes mountains got nothin' on motherhood

Elijah is going through a tough phase right now. Ever since he had that 24 hour fever last week, he's been having accidents in his bed every night. He also won't eat anything unless it has jelly on it and he gets stressed out by the littlest change in plans. I usually would have all sorts of time and energy to face these things head on, encouraging him and challenging him to grow, but I'm just too tired right now. The stupid thing is, my 9 week old sleeps through the night. He now goes to bed just before 7pm and sleeps until the sun comes up at 6am. You'd think I'd be getting some sleep, but it hasn't happened for me yet. This is why:

10:30pm-

I finally get myself to bed after cleaning up the house and folding the laundry. If I'm lucky, I was able to squeeze in a shower, too. Dan takes a break from school work to chat with me while I try to fall asleep.

11:30pm

I SLEEP!

1am

Light pours into the room. A belt hits the floor. A mouth breathing bear flops down, shaking me from my dreams. Dan is instantly asleep and I'm awake.

2am

Elijah coughs so hard it sounds like he might throw up. I tell myself not to go in unless he asks for me...

2:45am

Eli asks for me. As I give him medicine, I realize he's wet the bed. Eli goes potty, I change Elijah and the sheets, find a new blanket and spend the next 20 minutes convincing Elijah it's still night time.

4am

Dan has a coughing fit. He rustles around for a Ricola....mouth noises begin. AHH!!!

5:30am

I hear Lazzy begin to squeak but I try to ignore him until he starts to cry.

5:42am

Laz finds his thumb. He goes back to sleep.

6:30am

Elijah wakes up and knocks loudly on the door. I rush to open the door before Eli wakes his brother, but it's too late. Both boys are up. The day begins.

Thankfully, Dan is still being gracious and letting me sleep in when I can. It takes him a while to wake up in the mornings, so it's good for him to laze around with Eli for an hour or two before he goes to school. I am so glad Lazzy can sleep through the night. We had the exact opposite experience with Elijah. Still, I have yet to sleep longer than 2 hours at a time because of the other two men in my life. I feel as if everything in the universe is working together to keep me sleep deprived. Doesn't the universe know that a well rested mommy is a happier, better mommy??? Please, someone, tell the universe!!!!

I feel like motherhood with two has been the hardest thing I've done in my life so far, and that's saying a lot. I've summited a 14,000 foot pass in the Andes Mountains with a stomach bug. I've gotten my nose pierced and have a tattoo. I've been on an airplane for 18 hours straight, once with a newborn and then again with a one year old learning how to walk. I've lived in Africa where I peed in a latrine with only three walls (you'd think that would be enough...) while a group of village kids pointed and watched. I've experienced natural childbirth, TWICE. Yes, these things were difficult and challenging, but they got nothin' on motherhood. It is kicking my butt!

BUT, this is why I do it:

Where would I be without my mother? She was the glue that kept our crazy family together. She was the only sane one who could remember and take care of the things we all needed. She kept us clean, fed and never without fresh underwear. Yes, motherhood is kicking my butt. It's true that before dinner showed up tonight, I had only eaten a waffle, half a cheese stick, leftover scraps from Elijah's pb & j, and a cold cup of tea. My toe nails are so long they're making holes in my socks. I feel like I haven't slept in a year and when friends greet me, they ask if I'm sick. But all of this is worth it. I know this stage will fly by and soon and I'll be begging my boys to wake me up in the middle of the night just so I can spend time with them. My mother did all this and more for me and my FOUR siblings. I know I can survive the two.