How to nail a good night's sleep (7 tips)

Sleep is such a big thing for me. 

I hate insomnia. I mean that in itself is the dumbest statement ever. I never heard someone they love insomnia. 

Lying in the darkness, ticking through conversations, your to-do list, and any other detritus lying about in your brain. You roll over and look at the clock. 2:21am. Surely you'll fall asleep soon. You lie there for what feels like forever. Toss, turn. Rearrange the covers. Toss, turn. Repeat. Look at the clock 2:26am. Ouch. You count sheep. Those sheep keep coming. Those sheep are not going to stop. 

You get up. Wander around the house. Find that the only movie on right now is Escape from Alcatraz. Not exactly the best sleep inducing fodder, but given your obsession with crime shows, it will have to do. At least the strolling and Clint Eastwood's hairline distracts you. Shakedown.  

After a while you think you'll test the waters and crawl back into bed. It's now 3:42am. Pretty soon the birds will start their morning song. The sun will start creeping it's way into the sky. Life outside your walls will become louder. But you just lie there. Blinking in the darkness. The frustration only works to further awaken you. 

You toss, you turn. Repeat. 

It's not until much later that your eyes become heavy. Your body starts to relax. And voomp. You're asleep. It's just flipped over to 5:16am. You're alarm goes off at 6:02am. 

Sleeplessness. Such a cruel beast. 

I've gathered seven tips to help make for a good night's sleep. Well here's hoping.

1. Don't go to bed with your phone: In fact, ban phones from the boudoir. You don't want your last waking hours to be staring at a lit up screen, being stimulated. Bedrooms are meant to be sanctuaries. Spaces of relaxation and rest. Research shows that you should have a full hour of screen-free time before you hit the sack. 

Oh but you use your phone as your morning alarm? Get a real clock and ditch your incessant social media check ins. Your sleeping self will thank you. 

2. Take a bath: It's science baby! Your body temperature naturally dips around 2 hours before sleep time and bottoms out at around 4am according to a 1997 study conducted by New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center in White Plains, N.Y. When you soak in a hot bath your temperature rises, while the rapid cool-down afterwards relaxes you. A shower, though less effective, can work too.

3. Make a list: So often my mind is churning through the day that's been - and the day to come. I'm processing thoughts, to-do lists, and sometimes it won't stop. I'd love to be able to turn it off, but instead if your brain is busy, make a list. Keep a notebook and pen next to your bed so you can jot down anything that's keeping you up. There's a reason Santa makes lists and checks them twice. So he can sleep.

4. Routines aren't child's play: Get your mind into sleep mode with a routine. Putting out your pyjamas, brushing teeth, washing your face - it all helps your brain get prepared for sleep. 

5. Cut the caffeine: It's really a no-brainer, but try not to drink caffeine after 3pm, try a herbal tea instead.

6. Evict the electronics: By doing something relaxing, such as curling up in a comfy chair with a good book you'll be slowing down your brain. Try cutting out the tv and computer before bedtime so you can really relax. This will help melatonin production (a hormone that helps you get ready to sleep) - production of which is reduced when you're in bright light.

Which brings me to another point, dim the light in your bedroom, and use a small bedside light for reading and getting ready to tuck yourself in. 

7. Exercise: I find days when I exercise, sleeping can be a cinch. My body's worked hard, it's ready for a rest. And we've got the rhythm baby! But try not to exercise late. It brings your body temperature up, it stimulates you. And if you think you can't exercise because you're using the old "I'm too tired" line - that could be your problem. 

Research shows over and over that regular exercise improves heart health and blood pressure, builds bone and muscle and helps fight stress and muscle tension - and lifts your mood. 

Exercise can also help you sleep for longer and more soundly, and help you feel more awake during the day. WINNING!

Got any solid gold sleep tips to share?

New Finds:: SOMN by ELK

You guys have NO idea how excited, delighted, totally ridiculously ecstatic I was to discover that Elk has a new sleepwear collection - called SOMN (Swedish for to sleep).

We - you and me - we know how much I love to sleep. It's one of my favourite things to do. 

For me, this is a match made in heaven. My favourite Australian accessories label creating sleepwear. HELLO! 

Created with the idea that quiet moments are almost a luxury - Elk's SOMN range is to make ever night feel a little more special.

Using raw, stone washed linen and soft cotton in calming neutrals, they look good enough to wear out of the house. That palette is just MWAH! Perfect. I can imagine spending many hot summer days lounging around the house in this simple collection. 

Personally I've got my eyes on Kvall Pyjama set. 

And the Nuit Pocket dress. 
And the Sove Pyjama set

Check out the whole SOMN by Elk range here. 

Winter Bedroom Makeover With Adairs

This is a sponsored post

Matt and I talk a lot about our bed. It's the source of marital unrest. No. Not that. 

It's the blankets. And the layers. And the sheets. Particularly in Winter. 

At the start of the Winter season I declared that we were on the hunt for a Winter weight quilt. Matt looked at me blankly. I don't think he realised there were different weights for quilts - and that our regular quilt was not going to cut the mustard this Winter. Particularly if we were to get through the big cold without major tussles in the sack. 

I know I've written about it before. I like lots of layers. Matt, not so much. I love snuggling down under a plethora of blankets. Matt is not into it. I like both sheets -  fitted and flat. Matt likes just a fitted and a quilt. I say tomato. He says tomatoe. Potato. Potatoe. Let's call the whole thing off. 

Or should we?

Adairs gave me the opportunity to make over our bedroom. Keen to eliminate any rising tensions in our boudoir, I accepted the challenge. 

This is how it played out:

I know you think I am some kind of nanna, but I defy you! I am truly, madly, deeply enamoured by cotton flannelette sheets. Our house is like living in an igloo, and flannel just makes edging those toes into the depths of the bed so much easier. Flannelette is my friend, and I have convinced Matt that yes, flannelette does very well in our bed (particularly since I am not such a fan of the sweaty electric blanket). 

A brand spanking new quilt. HELLLLLO wool quilt. This. Is. Bliss. Just as light as our regular quilt, but so much warmer - and it's machine-washable. Did I mention how warm this little baby is? We went for a King size so that it drapes over the sides of our queen size bed. This has also reduced the number of bedroom tussles we have - there's no sneaky quilt thief cocooning themselves at night. There's plenty of quilt for everyone! Well the two of us at least. And two squirming bodies in the mornings. And sometimes in the middle of the night. Yawn. 

And just like your favourite t-shirt we opted for this awesome jersey quilt cover - it's super comfortable! The grey marle is a win with both Matt and I (I've never met a man that doesn't love grey marle), and is the perfect muted tone for our Winter bedroom make-over. 

I switched the lamps around in our bedroom, tidied up (heck if only you'd seen the mess of the before shot - actually, let's rethink that, so glad you couldn't make it over to mine), commissioned a family portrait by Tiny, and tossed some fresh tulips in a vase - et voila! Bedroom make-over complete!

If you feel the urge to give your bedroom an overhaul - head over to Adairs right now! The Adairs Massive Mid Year Sale is on, and you can snaffle some very excellent deals.

Are you a massive fan of flannelette sheets? 

Behind Closed Doors: In My Bedroom

This is a sponsored post.

I love sleep. Being in bed is almost my favourite thing. I don't get enough sleep - therefore I covet it. And it's well-documented that I really love bed linen. It's even in my bio. Obviously sleep and bed linen go hand in hand. I love them both. 

So when Adairs asked me if I'd be interested in reviewing their bed linen - well I could hardly turn them down in the pursuit of a better night's sleep, right?! I even got to peruse their bed linen online and choose what I wanted - hello!

After spending most of my weekend tidying our bedroom, moving furniture (one of my favourite past times) and re-making our bed - this is the end result. I'm pretty chuffed with it - and so is Matt - and that's pretty important given we share the bedroom. 

And before you say - "Hey PottyMouth, you didn't iron the cover" - well let me just inform you that I like a relaxed look in the boudoir. I can assure you nothing matches in our home - and that's the way I like it. An eclectic patchwork of pieces we've found on the side of the road (actually, I've found, and Matt's begrudgingly helped me re-home), and pieces that have been passed on to us - mixed with a few newer pieces here and there. I like linen to look comfortable and lived in. And PS - I don't have time to iron my quilt cover - who does (however I DO iron my pillowcases - I know, go figure).

So the pieces I chose are:

Vintage Washed Linen quilt cover:: oh aye carumba! This Home Republic quilt cover feels and looks like luxury. I am SO in love with this - it's pure linen, lightweight (perfect for Summer), and will last a long time - the more you wash linen, the luminous and softer it becomes. FACT!

Hotel Royale Cotton Blanket:: Matt and I constantly tussle over bedcovers. I like layers. He doesn't. But a cotton blanket is mandatory in our household - and this one ups the stakes in luxe in high quality cotton. Plus it's oversized so it fits our queen bed generously. It washes well and the charcoal colour is lush! It's probably a little unhealthy just how much I really love this blanket. 

Stella Zig Zag 250tc cotton percale bed sheets:: I'm a little nutty about chevron - and what better way to bring it into the boudoir (they also come in aqua) than with these Mercer + Reid sheets?! You can mix them back with a block colour too to change the look.

Vintage Paris cushion:: Once upon a time Matt and I went to Paris. He spoke French. I did not. I loved this Mercer + Reid cushion for its simple graphic - and love that it works with our whole room.

It feels so good to go to bed! 

The good news for you is that Adairs is offering PottyMouthMama readers 10% off across the site (includes full price and discounted items). The offer is available online only - and valid until January 31, 2013. (Can only be used once per user and can not be used in conjunction with any other offer). Promotion code is MAMA10. 

When Small People Won't Go To Bed. And Steam Comes Out Your Ears.

I am like this hamster running on one of those wheels. Running. Running. Running. And getting nowhere fast. 


Tiny is totally punishing me lately. 


All week she's been a reluctant sleeper, there have been raised voices. There's been hollow threats. And a threat of punishment (and I struggle with this because I can't think of anyway to punish her - because her response is always so non-chalant).  Once she's finally wrestled down to sleep - I find myself in the middle of the night pushed to the edge of the bed - with no covers on me. Cold, uncomfortable, and with no pillow.


This week her bed linen had been changed after an accident, and had literally been replaced, when she came out to me and told me her bed was wet. 


She denied denied denied, then blamed it on the Doctor and said he wee'd on her bed. I told her that the Doctor didn't do it (because I know the Doctor better than she does), finally she admitted that no, the Doctor had nothing to do with it. Instead she had been playing with water on her bed, and now her doona was wet through. 


I was pretty cross. 


It was one of those nights when you're like a jack-in-a-box, up and down, up and down, putting the smalls back into bed. Then they come out again. And so on for around 15 minutes. Then the steam starts to pour out your ears, and you walk them back and tell them once more - don't come out again. It's late. It's bed time. 


So this is where we were. I stripped the bed again when there was an almighty crash. I peer into the Doctor's bedroom and he's inadvertently smashed his bedside lamp. Glass everywhere.


If someone was checking my blood pressure, I think that cuff thing they put on would have been torn to shreds as I turned into the Incredible Hulk. 


Seriously. The bed humdrum is killing me. And not softly. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Images - despite being totally unrelated were something that made the smalls and I laugh today. We went to visit my sister, Sarah at Calico + Ivy today, and en route to get some smoothies, we spotted a plane vapour trailing his way through the sky. 'Marry Me'. We stood with our mouths agape looking skyward, causing other pedestrians to do the same. By the time the pilot got to me the marry had blown away and looked like a mangled version of the word. Whoever commissioned that - I hope they got in quickly. 

How To Be A Morning Person

I am not a morning person. I never bound out of bed in the morning, joyful to see the sunshine.

Nope.

Never.

I am the kind of person that hits snooze 89 times before my senses come to realise that I have 0.567 seconds to get ready for work or the school run, and that I better get my ass into gear and get out of bed. I love bed. I love sleeping. Oh do I love sleeping.

But I really want to be that person that gets up early, that goes into the day full of excitement. I don't want to be the slippery little slug that takes 1/2 an hour to rouse from my slumber.

I want to be the person that can go - BOOM! I am up, I am into the day. I am embracing the day. I am sledging everything that needs to be done. I am a morning person.

Tell me dear readers, how does one become a morning person? Or are they born morning people? Shed some light on this subject.

Is sleep for the weak? I know I'd like to sleep for the week.


Are you a former non-morning person turned morning person? What's your secret? Spill!

image by Mary Blair - it's her 100th birthday. Do you think she was a morning person?

Where's My Invite?

No invitation to the Royal Wedding and I'm a bit peeved.

So in lieu of attending the ceremony, I'm thinking about going and staying here.

If you can't join them, be them.

More here.

Today Was...

• The first day that the Doctor brought home a reader to share with me. Oh man. Cute Attack City! Though I don't really know if I am doing the right thing. If anyone has any pointers on how I can help my little dude with his reading - please help!


• The first day of my seven day cleanse with Nat from The Pagoda Tree. I started this cleanse hoping to shed some bad habits, to feel better in my body and stop my sugar habit. I have an awful sweet tooth, and since I sit not 7 metres from a vending machine, I'm expecting a new set of fillings soon. Thankfully this cleanse is like an intervention.


• Strange.. When I picked Tiny up from preschool she was still eating her lunch. Sitting by herself at 2:30pm still munching away. She'd had a weird day, both the smalls didn't wake until 8:30am - so we were on the hop from the moment they got up. Poor little wee ones.


• Tonight I asked Tiny to hurry up and eat her apple so she could go to bed. She looked at me and said "It's not an eyeball mum, it's an apple."


• Tiny also shocked me to the core this morning when she walked into my room, exclaimed "I don't care," which was promptly followed by "F*** man," and then smiled at me.
  

Big oops.

How was your day?

really random image via Find Enclosed One Batmans

Ahh Sleep

Lately I've not been getting enough sleep. I seem to stay up later and later, whereas once I was one of those people who went to bed around 9:30pm, lights out by 10pm. I'm blatantly flouting my own rules and staying up 'til midnight. I miss the sleep. And I am grumpy in the mornings. I hate being grumpy.

Part of the problem is that I've started reading again. I've not been into reading in the last few weeks, but now I've hit my stride and I'm back into the books.

I've finished one and into the next. It's my plan to get through the backlog of books on my bedside before the year is out. It's not a resolution people, it's just a plan.

The Perfect Bed?

Matt and I have an almost weekly argument. It's almost a ritual. It's a ritual that has been carried out for most of our married life. Not in the beginning, because Matt was too polite. I say 'was too polite' because now he's told me the truth.

Controversially, Matt does not like sleeping with a flat sheet and blanket. He only likes a doona.

Me? I like a traditional bed. I call it traditional because I imagine the Queen sleeps on a properly made bed. Generations have slept this way. It's just the way it is. And I like it like that. Fitted sheet. Flat sheet. Cotton blanket. Doona. Quilt if need extra warmth. I like the option of switching things up. I don't like being too hot. I don't like being too cold. I am the Goldilocks of beds.

I like hospital corners. I like ironed pillowcases. I like multiple pillows.

Weekly we engage in a tug-o-war over the bed. And our bedding. It's not a heated argument by any stretch, but it's a niggling disagreement.

And Matt now wants to 'trial' sleeping with just a doona. What is he? Crazy? No way Jose!

pretty beds all found on Apartment Therapy

I Sleep. And I Sleep Like A Log.

Since starting my new job, I sleep like a dead donkey. Seriously. Nothing can rouse me. Except a small child calling "Mama, mama." Nothing can raise me! Nothing.

An old flatmate used to go out late and come home early the next morning. Like 6am early. An Irish friend of hers taught her the adage, "I'll sleep when I'm dead."

Alas, I am not of that ilk. If I was out on the turps and caught sight of the time, and it happened to be beyond one or two in the AM, I was outta there - I was like Cinderella. I hated the thought of messing up the day ahead and being Crankelstiltskin because I hadn't had enough beauty sleep.

I love me some sleepytime.

Meltdown? Help!

Do you ever feel like you're heading straight for a meltdown? Right now I do.

- New job
- My computer died (so I am stealing time on my husband's - high five Matt) (Spare a thought for Pip, she has no space bar)
- Madly house hunting (rent is RIDICULOUS!)
- Navigating in-laws
- Trying to keep the house clean for inspections
- Regular parenting
- Regular wife-ing
- Being overtired due to an over-exuberant night owl

What do you do when it all feels overwhelming? I've been hanging the clothes out. With intermittent tears being blinked back.

I do have one thing going for me. I am not green. And I don't often wear a pointy hat.

Raising The White Flag

After my chat with Judy at Karitane, I must tell you, I felt empowered.

Prior to that, my stamina was waning. I was just thinking I would give in to Tiny. I was that plum tuckered out. Matt's studying, I'm kind of half-assed solo parenting except for when I have a meltdown. Giving in seemed... better.

But Judy... Well Judy changed me. She gave me back my power as a parent. She basically told me what I needed to know, and probably already knew but needed that gentle reminder. That gentle guide to say - hey lady, this is what you do, this is how you do it, and you can do it.

Go Judy. Go me.

So last night I did manage to get Tiny to go to bed at 8:30pm. This was an additional 2 hours of faffing about on her behalf, but seriously a huge improvement on the previous midnight.

I went in to check on her before bed. I opened the door - and - well, I couldn't open the door. There was a heavy boink. Oops. Tiny was asleep on the floor at the door. So I had to carefully manoeuvre her out of the way without rousing her or hurting her and popped her back into bed. But she was asleep! Triumph! Trumpets! Fanfare! Pomp and circumstance, puh-lease!

Do yourself a favour (and everyone in your life), if you need help, if you need to raise the flag, raise it. It's so worth it. To realise that you're not alone, and that there is help available. And in Australia we are so, so lucky to have so many free resources available to us. Such as:

- Tresillian

- Karitane

- The Australian Breastfeeding Association

- or your local Early Childhood Nurse

- Beyond Blue

Use them! That's what they're there for, that's why they receive funding, and the more people who utilise these services, the more funding they get and they can grow bigger and better.

AND I also think that airing your problems is not to be frowned upon.

When I was speaking to Julie-Ann of Tresillian at the Pampers Perfect Night's Sleep evening, she reiterated this: you'll be surprised if you say, I am having a crummy time, no sleep, no support etc, how many people will pipe up and say 'oh me too', or if you say I have depression, there are lots of other people living with depression who will come forward too, or it could be 'I had a miscarriage' and a lot of women have lived through the pain of a miscarriage and grieved alone. In my experience a whole other world exists - so many people suffer in silence rather than feeling like they can talk about it or to someone because of the stigma attached.

So ladies, let's dissolve these stigmas.Let's break it down. Some of them try to rhyme but they can't rhyme like this. Starting from next week I'll be dipping into stigmas. It will be deeply engaging. A cutting edge report. Stay tuned. Stay close to your 'puter. And stay uber cool. Deal-io?

images via Scout Holiday - she makes the most beautiful leather necklaces - I likey.

Good Boy Mum!

My eyes are about to pop out of my head. I just rang the Karitane Hotline (Tresillian only do up to age 2). I need me some sleep. I need me some sleep something chronic. I am like a swinging pendulum, one minute delirious, the next way-too-serious.

Tiny has some serious questions to answer. In particular, why the aversion to sleep? Why no day sleeps for three days? Why no night sleeps? Why why why?

Up 'til midnight and she still has energy. Enough energy to throw herself down on the floor and tanty like it's 1999.

I don't give a brass razoo about chocolate eggs. I want the Easter bunny to bring me a big, fat sleep. A big one. A huge one.

Despite the fact Tiny is driving me stark raving bonkers she still makes me giggle with 'Good boy mum!'. Here she is, herself going slightly bonkers, her latest faux happy facial expression.

We're A Little...Er.. Easterlerious

Are your kids hopping mad? Or maybe it's you that's eggscited? How many corny gags can I fit into this eggscellent first para? Do you like cheep cheep jokes?

We've gone more than a little plum loco.

For those who are interested: No. Tiny is still not sleeping. And we've gone a little loopy.

Masks from Spotlight. Because they seemed like such a good idea at the time.

Back:: Recharged & Ready to Conquer

Last night I had the good fortune of a night in a hotel. By. My. Self. I was lucky enough to be invited by Pampers to enjoy the Perfect Night's Sleep.

If you're a long time reader of PMM you are already well versed in the latest bad string of broken night's we've been experiencing and the utter exhaustion that seems to have descended upon our home. If you're new, in short, this last two-three weeks has stunk on the sleeping front.

After a night out meeting some ace new people, and learning some tips from the geniuses that are Tresillian, I feel recharged and ready to tackle pretty well anything that might be thrown at me (except fire batons - don't throw those at me).

I came home to my two littlies who were happily playing. I packed lunch like there was no tomorrow. Seriously, a sleep by yourself is definitely underrated. It feels so luxurious!

What's your ultimate luxury?

PS - I'd quite like that luxury up there - Princess and the Pea by Maileg via Toy Boutique.

All Cuddled Out:: The Tiny Torturer

Dear Tiny,

It might well be fun and games on night one of climbing out of your cot repeatedly and peeking around the corner. Yes it's funny. Yes it's cripplingly cute. And endearing. And I do want to squash you because I love you so much.

But let's get real.

By night seven it's NOT so funny. If you were a comedian I'd ask you to stop laughing at your own jokes. Of course I love you, I adore you, but hey tiny lady, sleep deprivation is a tool of torture that you're a little too familiar with.

My eyes are struggling to stay open. I'm cranky. I'm no good. I'm behaving like I've been eating cans and cans of Snappy Tom. I'm daydreaming of sleeping. I lay on our bed today with dead eyes. I couldn't even move when I heard you cry, thankfully your Dad intervened.

In fact, with this type of sleep deprivation I feel as if I have a newborn (and have thoughtfully included a photo above, though you were more like 5 months there). Those first few days/weeks of excruciatingly hard sleep deprivation. One day I hope you know that tiredness.

A newborn in the shape of a small toddler. Who climbs out of bed all the time. And currently has an ear infection which is directly proportional to how many cuddles you seem to require day and night.

I am not a good person to be around when I am severely sleep deprived. This weekend, unfortunately, I think you've discovered this.

Last night when your Dad and I were watching a movie, and you decided to come out, and watch it with us, despite the fact that it was 9:30pm and your regular bedtime is 6:30pm, remember that? I'm sure you do. I certainly do, I'm well familiar with it. You peeked around the corner at us - oh - about fifty seven times at least, and then came and sat on me. Then on your Dad. Then on me. Then on your Dad. It continued that way for a long time. That was cute. But after the third hour of returning you to your bedroom, it became painful. Frustrating.

And tonight, having returned you to your bed for the tenth time (yes, yes I am counting) I am pooped. I am tired. I am plum tuckered and fresh out of cuddles. I need some time to lie on the couch without anyone touching me. I am officially touched out.

Please, please find something else that is funny. That we all, mutually, think is funny. Sleep deprivation can definitely make me get a lot uglier.

In sleep,

Your Mama. x

Because That Was Such a Great Idea

Who made the suggestion to move Tiny into a big girl's bed? Who? Raise your hand. Put your hand up and tell me who.

Oh. It was... me.

Whoa nelly. What kind of a weekend has this been?

It's been the kind of weekend when Tiny gets her big girl's bed. And subsequently climbs out of it. Fifty million times.

Saturday heralded a new beginning. The beginning of the end of my sanity, given she was awake until 12:30am getting in and out of her bed, wheeling a trolley around in her bedroom, in half darkness. Until finally I could take it no more. I told her gently it was bed time and she must stay in there. I played with her hair until she fell asleep.

Then she woke up at 3:30am crying. 'What the heck? Where am I? What is this?? A big girl's bed?!' And then woke again at 6:30am which for me is equally as rude as being woken at 3:30am.

Sunday night I hoped for better things to come. She was tired after her night out and about. But as my sister Choc has mentioned before, the girl has stamina.

She was awake again until 12:30am. And even then I think she was playing possum. She came pitter-pattering into our room at 1:30am. I was up and down, up and down like a jack-in-the-box. I tried hard to coax her back into her bed to no avail. She finally settled in our bed, and throughout the night I found her in different positions, including sitting on my head. If I so much as moved, she'd throw a huge spac attack.

I don't so much need a life buoy now as I need a nanny and a really good nap. Without small feet pattering in to see me and sit on my head every ten minutes.

Is it wrong, that right now I'd swap a little siesta with this little donkey for my cheeky mouse of a daughter?

Image found when googling images of a sleeping baby. Et voila - the image I never knew I wanted. A sleeping donkey and a baby. Google, you really are so good to me.

Sleep? What Sleep?

Last night was a little different. Matt and I had planned an early night. Ever since a middle of the night attempted break in last year, I've hated going to bed. I put it off until I fear I may turn into a pumpkin.

So we bunkered down in bed and I was watching Stephen Fry on QI. I love that show. It's silly how much I adore it.

And then Tiny struck up. Not singing, screeching. Crap!

I convinced Matt that he should definitely get up since we had just turned off the light and it was an extra opportunity for Tiny cuddles. After a few minutes of faux arguing, he got out of bed.

Mandatory cuddle and put Tiny back into bed.

Screeching ensued.

CRAP!

Time crept by. Tiny kept screeching. We took turns. Was she pretending to be a newborn? Who knows?

By 11:50pm I had gotten up for the third or fourth time, and all the mad racket had roused the Doctor, who had coincidentally wet the bed. And then Tiny decided she wanted something to eat.

Are you freaking kidding me?

So there we are at midnight - the Doctor talking to me about swimming, Tiny sitting at her tiny table eating a banana and having a glass of milk.

I imagined if someone was looking in at us, it would make a curious picture. And all the while Matt was trying to convince me that the wee patch in the Doctor's bed wasn't that big (no it's just soaked through three layers of mattress protectors, not much at all - here sleep on this).

And then the Doctor came to sleep with us. With his hands and legs stuck underneath me. And me wedged on a thin slither of bed.

Sleep, where for art thou?

Awkward family photos courtesy of Awkward Family Photos

When Punks Turn Into...Punks

via

The Doctor and I are totally butting heads with one another. He wants to stay at home, I want to go out.

I want him to have a sleep. He doesn't. Then he goes to sleep for two hours and is in a much more harmonious mood. Thangyouverymudge.

He wants to dessert. Doesn't want dinner.

I want to walk. He wants to drive (50 metres down the road, Al Gore where are you when I need you?).

He wants to watch TV. I don't want him to watch TV.

Oh it's a tangled web we weave.

He's 4 going on 14. Why oh why are we butting heads?