Today's negative nap

I'm sick with a cold. Today was one of those days that you are just PRAYING for a nap, from the second before you get out of bed you are thinking about when you can get back in bed. Sabine is in Hawaii, and I'm sick and exhausted. After lunch was eaten and Lily was off to school, it looked as if things might be aligning in kids schedule to allow for a nap. Meaning, Bryson and Addie *might* be asleep at the same time. But here's what happened:

12:30 walk in the door with Addie and Bryson. Get hands washed and go potty, hang up coats, put away shoes. Oh...and get Bryson out of his carseat.

12:45 put Addie down for her nap with Bryson, read a book, tuck her in, pray that it takes as I shut her door

12:50 return a call to my friend R. talk for a bit while Bryson plays and when he looks like he might be getting tired, I tell her I have to wrap it up, almost nap time.

1:20 Bryson is down
1:30 Call Lawrence to tell him I'm napping, don't call
1:32 I'm all tucked in with tissues and nodding off fast

1:44 Addie's door opens. It's been 59 minutes since I shut her door hoping for her normal 2 hr nap. I've been laying down for TWELVE MINUTES? That's worse than a NO nap, that's a negative nap. I'm more tired now then when I laid down! She wonders around the house calling for me, I put the covers over my head. She finds me anyway! :)

2:04 I'm back in bed, I've gotten her a drink and snack and taken her potty then put in a Clifford DVD for her. 3 episodes. That's one hour. I've put the chain lock on the front door just to be sure she doesn't try anything funny. I'm nodding off quick, not even feeling a little guilty.

2:10 I hear Bryson crying. His usual 45 minutes. SHIT! 6 minutes. Now I'm even more tired than the time before. I do not "do" power naps. I pull the blankets over my head. First I say a prayer that he will go back to sleep. God denies. Then I say a prayer that I will have the energy to deal with it. Again, no luck.

2:15 I'm back in bed with Bryson, after peaking on Addie ENTHRALLED with Big Red C. She's just starting episode 2 - if I can nurse Bryson to sleep (something I usually try to avoid), I have 40 minutes. I try to nurse him while we both lay down. We haven't done this for a while so he was confused at first and we both got a little milky. Then he did it. And we both fell asleep, milky and all.

2:45 Bryson wakes up LAUGHING. I'm startled. He is in his sleep but it is the cutest sound, even though I feel awful, I'm amused by his sleepy giggle. I muster a smile. It beats being woken up by crying. I look at the clock and am pleased with my 30 minutes of half asleep with my baby nursing nap. I'll take what I can get. Hey, takes care of a feeding too, one less thing. He ate the entire time. And it's time to get Lily anyway.

3:00 Go get Lils from school after making a monster cup of tea and gulping it down quickly. Followed by some V8 and Airbornne.

Sometimes when people say, sleep when the baby sleeps, but this is the reality, especially when you have more than one child. And when you aren't sick, there are lots of days when it's just not worth even trying. I've found that a cup of coffee and 24 minutes of shred, does much better for me that trying to catch a nap that will never be. It's a lot less frustrating too...

Speaking of, I DID shred today, even though I feel like crap. I didn't push hard and went through the motions. But I did it. So with that I must now collapse. Let's hope the night wakes me again with giggles and not cries. Is that asking for too much? :)