Not Sleeping is Not Fun



Little man was a champion sleeper until molars hit!

I am can write this now that I have had one good night of sleep. If you can sleep every night, without problems, interruptions, or sleeplessness, this post is not for you. If, however, for reasons which are abundant, you may have interruptions to your slumber, feel free to keep reading. You are welcome here!

I have come to the fact that if you are a caregiver, whether for aging people or small new people or ill, needy people, you may not sleep well every single night. In fact, even when the person that you are serving is sleeping, you may not be. This list is for me and for you.

Notes to myself about not sleeping:

• Do not play with knives or power tools, drive cars long distance or be around people who make you mad!
• Scrimp on things - my current favorite is putting wet dishes straight back onto the dinner table (I have even put them back in the cupboard - gasp - Truly, it doesn't matter)
• Try not to talk about sleep first thing in the morning, especially with someone who HAS SLEPT. It doesn't go well. Realize this is only a season, very short in the grand scheme of things
• Listen to God in the night. Amazing what He will put on the heart when all the other distractions are quiet!
• Run anyway. This one is vitally important to me as a runner. I realized that I could run, and run pretty fast, even when I have not slept for days. Prior to the Columbus Marathon this fall, little runner had a cold. I ran the marathon on one good night of sleep plus a head cold. PR'd at 3:45:11 - it can be done. I need to remember that. 
• Be relentlessly, ridiculously positive. Really, being thankful is amazingly helpful.
• Lower expectations, cancel everything you can weasel out of, and just be satisfied if you get horizontal at least once per day.
• Don't schedule any visits from high-maintenance relatives
• Eat yummy raw, green food every meal - yes for breakfast (green smoothies baby all the way!)
• Start preparing in the morning for the next night, restock supplies, get rid of trip and fall hazards, etc. 
• Get checked out for a sleep disorder if you truly cannot sleep well for an extended period of time. This has been very helpful to my brother, and is very important as serious medical conditions can be the cause.

And enjoy every moment that you can with the ones that you love, even if it is that terrible hour of 3 am.

Blessings for a good night's sleep!  (But if you are awake, do not worry, I am probably still awake too.)

Getting Kids to Sleep



My bears love to read before bed!

  Ahhhh Sleep! In America, we are obsessed with it, probably because we do not get enough of it. I know that there is a cultural war about whether to let infants cry-it-out prior to falling asleep, and regardless of what "experts" say, I want my children to have a healthy association with sleep and enjoy it just as much as I do! That means we need lots and lots of practice. And just like sometimes I am not able to sleep well, my children also struggle. As a parent, it is a privilege to be available in the night for them. I am happy to provide drinks, potty-tunities, and snuggles when needed. Sometimes the only time I can get to snuggle with my active six year old is during the night (she used to be a Velcro baby and now I can't catch her for one tiny kiss). I love being able to help my children in the night! Truly a work of God that I have to this place.

Helping our children get to sleep has been a journey for us. We highly recommend the resources by Elizabeth Pantley and her No-Cry Sleep Solutions www.pantley.com. We also have enjoyed the ideas shared by Dr. Sears and others who give options to modify for your individual child and life circumstance. Children are NOT one-size fits all! The one note that I would provide is that I have yet to hear these authors address the need to use the restroom in the night, which we have found to be paramount even for our newborn infants. We found answers in the Elimination Communication realm, www.diaperfreebaby.org and others who provide cues and ways to meet infants' needs in the night. We always provide the following to help our bears sleep well:

1) Night-time routine

2)Prayers with Daddy - never underestimate the power of prayer for a good night's sleep!

3)Potty-tunity right before going down for the night -If little man refuses to go to sleep, we get back up and it is ALWAYS because he needs to go one MORE time, yes even if it was only 10 minutes prior. Then he will typically be up 2-4 times in a 12 hour span to use the restroom, more if illness or teeth are an issue; he is 18 months old just as a note. Needs obviously change with age.

4) Model good sleep - I relax with the children, rub backs, hug, and do not force them to sleep. My only request is that they keep their heads on the pillow and do not talk. I always reassure them that they do not have to sleep and can go to sleep whenever they want to. I respect their need for autonomy. This has worked extremely well and I feel like that gives them a healthy responsibility over their own sleep (as age-appropriate mine older ones are 4 and 6 years old).

5) Understand that sometimes they will not sleep well and adjust accordingly.

6) We make sure they have plenty of running time, healthy food, and a winding down time before the routine begins.

That being said, sometimes I get a little blitzed tired. I have three children close in age after all...forgive me if I can't spell, find the telephone, or refuse to answer the door.


Daddy is just as tired as little man!


My next article is on sleep-deprivation, which can easily occur if you are a care-giver for people of any age (elderly parents, small infants, or anyone in between!).

What are some of the ideas you have on meeting needs in the night-time?

Ethan is 13 months -Running, Teething, EC, and Routine Update

My baby is officially 13 months old and running fast! He has two older siblings to teach him but he is happy to chase everywhere. I think he has already logged a few baby marathons just in our backyard...

Since he is teething, he has changed many of his habits. He now is eating everything in sight. He only has 4 teeth but prefers real food. Not even mashed! Solid food as well as nursing is needed to fuel his never-quit engine. He doesn't sleep as well as he used to but with teeth the size of Texas I can't blame him. I still don't know how many times he is up or really what time it is because I got rid of the clock and I diberately don't count just for sanity's sake. I'm much better rested and so is he. I just respond to his needs and go right back to sleep. Much simplier. He does need to use the restroom more in the night and that is where Elimination Communication is key, only if I can lift my weary eyes to see he is try to help take himself to the potty.

So, all of his routine is some what changed. He is eating more, playing harder, and going through cloth diapers like crazy. Although, I have been busy and distracted with other needs and have relaxed my routine in taking him to the restroom. He has not liked that I have been distracted and has voiced his displeasure loudly. He literally screams at me and tries to knock down the gate at the stairs to take himself to use the restroom. Who can blame him? I wouldn't like it either if my care-giver was as slow as me to understand! He did, however, go potty for Daddy while I was running. Everyone was very proud at his accomplishment.

All we can do is try our best to understand what he is trying to communicate in these months when he is still pre-verbal. I think that God allows this time of human development for us to understand how much effort it takes to understand, communicate, and build a relationship with us. Amazing that God takes the time to understand and care for us, but I am glad He does!