Obviously written by a Man......

While driving back this morning from taking Jim to the doctor, I heard a radio DJ announce he was going to name the top sleep deprived jobs. Of course, this caught my attention. So, as the commercials played before this segment I got to thinking..........first should be a Mom. But, I thought I knew what sleep deprived was when Wyatt was an infant. He wasn't the best sleeper. Sadly, I was very wrong. Let me give you my definition of sleep deprived; twins and a toddler. Not twins and a 5 year old, not a 1 year old and a 2 year old, not twin 5 year olds and a 1 year old but infant twins and a toddler. I know many will disagree. I believe those with higher order multiples and a toddler can take sleep deprived to a new level, I am so glad I can't describe that circumstance to you. It has gotten much better but still is not easy. Let me explain a night in my life; bedtime starts around 6:30pm. The girls are first to go and they are fairly good. After eating, Maggie goes upstairs to her bed and promptly goes to sleep. Ally is a bit more difficult, she eats and normally will sleep in her swing until her next feeding (explained later). There are moments of crying for Ally when we still have to insert the pacifier. It is getting better. Wyatt is next. This is a bit more of a challenge. We start with him around 7:30pm or 8pm. It doesn't go easy and normally starts with, "let's put on your pj's". Normally this is met by, "no". Then we convince him to go upstairs and pick them out. He goes, I change his clothes and must promise he can go back downstairs. So, back down we go. Then he wants to "watch a little bit of tv". OK, fine, but only 15 minutes. By this time about 45 minutes have passed. Then we have to get the toy of the day, a truck, a car, a stuffed animal; then a cup of water WITH ice. Find his blanket and go upstairs. Normally this takes about 15 minutes (he is slooooowwww going up). Then we have to arrange everything in his "cribby" (toddler bed). Water here, toys here, pillow, blanket, etc. Then it is story time. This is normally something I have read about 1,456 times before. Then it is followed by favorite #2, this has been read 976 times, followed by #3, 741 times and occasionally #4 depending on my mood. Then he begs for more, I say no and he asks me to pat him. I pat, he asks for his pillow. Get pillow and resume patting. Need covered with blanket on the correct side (giraffe spots facing out). More patting. He pushes the aquarium sound box and we pat more. Then I tell him good night, say "don't get up until the sun comes up" and leave the room. If it is a good night, this is it for him until he falls asleep for the first time. Other nights, it may end in crying, screaming and more patting. In his room, out of his room, door open, door closed, need water, need ice, you name it, he needs it. Then it is downstairs to wash bottles and make formula. OK, by now we are running into 10pm (if I am doing good) and I want to check e-mail. Another 45 minutes at least. Then around 11pm I make bottles, feed the girls and get in bed around 12 midnight. Then maybe I get some thoughts about the day, who had the last bowel movement, who will be first today, will Ally eat solids, will Wyatt obey, how can I teach him to eat better, the thousands of thoughts that go through my head. Add this to a snoring, tossing and turning husband. Then around 2am Wyatt comes in for a midnight pat. I am abruptly awoken by "pat me Mommy, pat me Mommy" which starts to escalate into a cry. I get up, go and pat him and beg him to let me go to sleep. Back in bed. Oops, need to go to the bathroom. Ahhh, back in bed. Start thinking, I hear Ally crying, gets worse, it's the pacifier. Don't want her to wake up Wyatt or Maggie so, in the room I go to put it back in her mouth. Back to bed, 30 minutes later, pacifier again. Get Ally and lay on the air matress in our room. She goes right to sleep. More thoughts, Jim is still snoring. Finally back asleep but next to a baby so, I don't sleep well. 6:45-7:30 Wyatt is up, "sun up, Mommy, time to get up, NOW". Drag myself up, my day has begun. Rare days that Wyatt sleeps past 7am, Maggie makes sure I am up because it is time to eat. And this is much improved from before. Sleep is so sweet, I can taste it, like a forbidden fruit beckoning me to taste. But, it is worth it........this too shall pass. Another reason why life with 3 under 3 = crazy.

In case you were wondering here is what the radio DJ said were the top sleep deprived professions (mom not listed):

The report said the top 10 most sleep-deprived professions are:
Company directors (averaging 5.9 hours of sleep a night)
Ambulance crew/paramedics (6 hours)
Tradesmen (6 hours) Leisure and hospitality workers (6 hours)
Police officers (6.1 hours)
Factory workers (6.2 hours)
Nurses (6.3 hours)
Engineers (6.3 hours)
Doctors (6.4 hours)
Civil servants (6.4 hours).

Sign me up for company directors, that is a walk in the park.......they get weekends!