Friday, March 31, 2006

Sleep chronicle #1

FWIW, the nightly travails of a suburban dad of two kids - one a toddler and one just 3 months old.

8:45 pm - take the kids out for a drive. Baby falls asleep. Toddler decides to sing, then falls asleep.

9:15 pm - back home when both kids are asleep, but both wake up as the garage door closes.

9:20 pm - take toddler to bed. Read story, kiss goodnight and tuck her in. Wait till she falls asleep.

10:00 pm - baby is crying. Nasty cold, looks like. Some soothing music, rocking back and forth, burping, seem to help. Falls asleep.

10:15 pm - start reading the finance text for the next quarter, first class this Saturday. 3 extra-long chapters to read! Man, this is crazy... but interesting reading.

11:45 pm - baby starts making ominous noises. Everytime I hear him, I run upstairs to pat him down. Then toddler starts talking in her sleep, so I run around to her room and pat her down.

12:00 pm - go to bed.

1:45 am - toddler is wide awake. Run around to her room again and soothe her, narrate a made-up story and fall asleep on her bed.

2:00 am - wifey comes around to wake me up. Baby is ready to feed and its my turn. Damn!

2:45 am - baby is fed, wrapped and asleep on the crib. Back to bed to get some rest.

4:30 am - baby is up again. Vaguely remember pretending to be asleep and waiting for wifey to respond. Her turn now. Hear some noises. She must be up.

6:00 am - damn! its morning already. Get ready to go to work.

6:40 am - wake the toddler up, freshen her up, brush her teeth, take her downstairs and give her morning sipper-ful of milk.

7:20 am - leave for work.

8:15 am - wife calls me at work and blasts me for leaving so early, being so irresponsible, not caring for the kids and family.

What can I say?