You can call *me* at three in the morning

Peaceful sleep...

Despite how tiring it was, when my kids were infants and not quite sleeping through the night, I could still get them back to sleep (OK, so 99% of the time). These days, I'm dying for those nights to return, wishing my kids would drift off with a bottle in my arms or a little snuggle time in the glider.

These kinds of nights are not the rule, rather the exception, but when we have one of these nights it feels like they happen all.the.time.

I suffer from occasional insomnia. The frequency of an "attack" is so much lower nowadays for me than it was even early last year, but I still get it once in a while. Last night I was dead tired after our weekend and I fell asleep on the couch some time around 7:30 or 8PM, after we got the kids down. They fell asleep really well and were out like lights ASAP. With my sore legs, I was able to finally lay on the couch undisturbed and rest my whole body. Just before 9 I woke and went up to bed. I was up 'til just after 10 watching Real Housewives and the news, but easily drifted off after playing a couple games on my iPod Touch.

I don't remember what time it was, but, Ethel wriggled her way into our bed some time in the night. Next the cat made herself comfy on my body pillow. Then, some time around 1:30AM I woke up, hot and sweaty and kicked off the covers. In turn, Ethel stirred and noticed the cat on my body pillow. She started petting the cat, and that was the end of that. I looked at the clock: 1:46AM; Ethel was up for the day. She voluntarily went to her room to try to settle again, reading books and playing on her bed.

Some time about 2:30-ish, Fred woke up with a nosebleed, begging me to put lotion in his nose. I did, and just after 3AM (I must have drifted off), I heard two tiny voices playing in Ethel's room. They were both in there, up for the day. Friggin' awesome.

With insomnia taking a firm grip on me by this time, I fiddled on my iPod Touch for while before finally going downstairs at 4AM to make coffee and pack my lunch. The only upside to all of this was that I didn't have to drag either kid out of bed this morning.

Now, one would think that being up at this early hour would allow us plenty of time to get to day care at 6:30 and for Mommy to get to work a little early. Nope.

6:24AM (we leave as close to 6:30 as you can with two groggy kids) - "Mommy, Fred has a bleeder!"

Clean up bleeder, wash his hands and wipe the blood from his face, and we're out the door at 6:35.

What is it that wakes my kids at these unGodly hours and forces them to stay awake? The full moon isn't for four more nights!! I honestly wish I could find a time released sleep aid for them that would activate at like 1AM and keep them asleep until morning.

Time to research pediatric insomnia.  And get plenty of coffee and extra under eye cream.