Why do they torture us? ~ April 11, 2014

They only sleep when I don't want them to and vice versa.

I was on the way out the door to grocery shop when Owen freaked out, turned purple from screaming his head off, and promptly fell asleep the moment I pulled him out of the infant carseat insert. It was one of those moments where I had to lower my expectations, cuddle in, and let him sleep. Why didn't I join him? Because I had already main-lined a tanker of coffee after not sleeping all night. So I commenced with watching season 2 of Hannibal and managed to slip little dude into the Baby Bjorn carrier without waking him so I could do laundry as well. That's right, I got mad skills.

Later we picked up Nora from school and on the walk home, after playing in the park, we agreed to an episode of Daniel Tiger and then a nap. We watched her favorite episode "Daniel gets mad" with the helpful, yet unrealistic, diddy, "When you get real mad, Take a deep breath, (big inhale), And count to four." Two episodes later she was refusing to nap. We sang Daniel Tiger songs, we did "spa time" (her slathering my arm with lotion and I massage her hands in turn), and exchanged cuddles. Still no nap. My eyes felt like sand had been blown in them I was so tired, my ribs ached from having Owen in the carrier all day, my hip joints were killing me from being a mom mule/valet/magician/cook/maid/entertainer. I'd had it. 

I announced that we all were getting up and going to watch a show I wanted to watch (The Daily Show) and that if she didn't like it she could do quiet time in her room. Owen was crying again because he wanted to sleep, I was struggling to hurry and put my slippers on so I could tend to him when I felt a little hand patting me on my leg. A small voice asked, "You ok, mama? You mad?" The emotional guilt trip was insult to injury, "Yeah, mama, is mad!" 

I hear a big sigh from a little body leaning against me, "...and count to four."

In to the bath she went, early dinner made and consumed, Daily Show on, children piled on me, and an orchestra of snoring commenced from the two of them. I turned the volume up on the TV and laughed.