Sleep - damnit!

I haven't been to sleep yet. I'm going on 27 hours of consciousness. Let me just tell you how non-functioning I am without sleep. I know most people have a hard time - but I'm a freaking non-human.

Em had a rough night last night. She was up until 430am, sleeping for 5 minutes and then screaming/nursing for another half hour. I'm not sure what set her off - but it wasn't pretty. I finally thought I had her asleep for the night and took her into the bedroom. I laid her in her bassinet. Got into bed and laid my head down on the pillow. Two minutes later she started crying again. UGH.

Five minutes later I heard the terrifying sound of more kids awake. OH NO - the other two Doughkids were up at 4am! In order to get Dan to go back to sleep - he brought them into the bedroom. Julia wanted to call her Poppa to wish him good luck on his surgery this morning. I tried to explain to her that it's not very polite to call someone at 4 in the morning. Manners were lost on her at that time of the morning. She finally fell asleep and ten minutes later Anna woke her back up with her partying.

At this point I'm nursing a restless Em (who has nursed pretty much for 3 1/2 hours at this point), trying to cuddle/rock/pat Anna to settle her down and Julia is asleep. Then Anna rolls over and kicks julia in the face - and she's back up. Anna's riled up again and I snap. Yep - you could hear the actual noise of my patience breaking down and my exhaustion winning the battle.

I yell at Julia to get out of the bed, throw the Boppy and her blanket at her and ask her to take them out to the living room. I grab Em in one arm, Anna in the other and drag them out to the living room. I set Anna up in her highchair in front of the tv - (yes, parenting at it's finest), have Julia lay down on the couch and I set up in the chair to nurse Em to sleep. 1/2 hour later Emma Leigh is asleep in the swing. Julia is moving from the couch to the floor to lay next to her sisters high chair. Anna is still partying in full on CRAZY mode. I set her up with a snack and head back to my chair. I try to sleep - but Anna keeps yelling things and startling Em.

Julia finally succumbs to sleep at 530am. Dan says goodbye as he passes through our new makeshift sleeping grounds. Em is konked out. Anna is still rocking out. I considered briefly moving this ensemble back into the bedroom... but then I run the risk of having another kid awake. So - I let Anna down and try to get her settled to sleep. Not happening. I put the gate up in the door so that she can't escape and I curl up in the chair. From 6-8am I slept for about 30 minutes - in 3-5 minute intervals. Anna finally falls asleep. At 845a I have to wake all 3 kids up! Julia has to be dropped off at preschool. Em never actually woke up - I just gave her the meds and transferred her to her infant seat.

Julia was 10 minutes late for school - but I think that was pretty good considering.

All I can say is - I hope we have a 4 person nap this afternoon!