Sleepytime Driving

I drive the sleepiest highway in America. It can be in the morning, afternoon or evening and driving on this road makes me tired. Pass out at the wheel tired.

Maybe it’s the hum of the tires as they cleave to the asphalt. Or the vibration of the steering wheel in my hands. Or the fact that it is such a lonely highway that I put it on cruise control and drive for almost thirty miles without once having to apply the brakes.

It’s not just me. Hubby has driven this stretch, with and without me, and he agrees that there is something mesmerizing about this road.

The bad part is I drive it everyday. Twice a day.

I’ve tried to spice it up with music, singing, talking to myself and other drivers. Nothing completely works. It’s the road. This bewitched dreamy road.

As soon as I get off I’m alert as nothing has happened.

This would be the perfect alien abduction road.

Adios Nap Time

Teagan and Kaitlyn are only a year apart. Due to the closeness of age I tend to treat each of them the same with little regard for “age appropriate” matters. Since Kaitlyn still drinks a bottle so does Teagan. Yes she shouldn’t at this age but I’m don’t own stock in Motrin and really have an aversion to unnecessary battles. This results in Teagan enjoying younger things longer and Kaitlyn getting gypped sooner. I think that’s why we put off potty training so long. This, by the way, is still going wonderfully. A night time accident here and there but for the most part the worst three days of our lives followed by harmony.

Teagan is almost three (holy crap how did that happen?) accordingly she has exhausted her need for naps. She will still take one but it’s much shorter and 90% of the time not required. On our camping trips this is different because we run her little butt ragged and the short dose in the car in-between stops is more for recovery. Plus when Teagan doesn’t take a nap she goes to bed with only half of the normal fight. I think that with Kaitlyn having an open bed this will prove useful as Teagan is the primary instigator of naughtiness.

I am saddened that the nap is about to go away. This hour to two hours was my break in the day. I could take a shower, surf the internet, watch something besides cartoons, clean or even, dare I say it, take a nap myself. I love sleep. I can easily sleep for twelve hours. To me an occasional nap in the afternoon is better than chocolate. But alas Teagan is ready and the benefits out vie my little afternoon reward. Of course Kaitlyn still needs her nap, she’s like her Mommy, and therefore Teagan will have to be quiet during this time. I think I will try to make it an educational hour with learning to reading and maybe some crafts. I plan on separating the girls occasionally for one-on-one time later in life so they don’t feel they are always sharing. I guess this will be the beginning of Teagan and Mommy time.

Graduated to Toddler Bed

There are little reminders everyday of how big my girls are getting. Yes they grow taller and they have an almost full set of teeth. But I am pointing to the milestones they reach. Kaitlyn now eats cereal, soup and ice cream by herself. She tries to use the wash cloth to bathe herself. I’m sure her streak of independence is what has caused these instances to come sooner than most.

Tonight my littlest bear Kaitlyn is no longer in a crib. Her crib was converted into a toddler bed. She now will get in and out of her own bed for nap and night time. And of course reading time.

This is a step on the path of responsibilities. I feel that entrusting children with little tasks at a time will help them in the bigger tasks of their future.

With the new undertaking of a toddler bed Kaitlyn is so far failing. Miserably. Her new freedom is huge to her and she is getting out of bed constantly.

She runs into the hallway. I put her to bed.

She plays with toys in her room. I put her to bed.

She gets into her Sister’s bed. I put her to bed.

Even Teagan at this point is telling on her so she can go to sleep. Luckily she is a lover of sleep so I think she will catch on quicker than her impish sister did.

Sleep Wanderer

Teagan is my wandering sleeper. She doesn’t sleep walk but occasionally she will find another spot to sleep, other than her bed. I’ve found her under Kaitlyn’s bed. She likes to sleep in the recliner or on the couch. And once we found her down the hall in front of our bedroom door. This child has always had issues with a bed. As an infant on those really exhausting nights Hubby or I would lay with her in our bed and just pray she would fall asleep. Not once did she sleep in our bed. She would sleep with us if we were on the couch but I didn’t get much sleep as I was too afraid of rolling over on her or off the couch.

The other night Hubby and I were chatting a little in bed before turning out the lights. When I heard a bed squeak down the hallway. The squeaky bed is Teagan’s. This is a nice alarm system when little bear tries to sneak out of bed to play.

So after the squeak I hear little feet running straight for our room. Then a jump and in-between Hubby and I was the cutest little girl who was so excited to be up and in bed with us. She said a few nonconsensual things in a whisper followed by a soft giggle.

“Do you want to sleep with us?”

A huge smile lit her face and she nodded yes.

She put her head on my pillow and we all snuggled in to go to sleep.

At this moment of smelling her hair and holding her little body all burrowed in sheets I got sad.

Even though I look for a job every single day I am lucky to be a SAHM and enjoy watching my girls developing and turning into little people. Every day I am in amazement at their intelligence and exuberance. I marvel at how quickly they learn things and how fiercely independent they want to be.

Yet at that this moment I saw my little girl in the future as a teenager. Going off with her friends, being involved in sports and groups and having little time for her old Mom. This is what children do. They grow up, become independent and dance to their own tune.

So I squeezed her tighter and wished she would stay my Tea-Bear forever. As if foreshadowing in real life she mumbled something to me and got up and went to her own bed.

I have tried very hard to appreciate my girls everyday but realize that I will still miss this time and times to come. That’s why memories are sweet.