Soul stretching wonderful: Regret, mixed with aches and pains

Hint: To skip me complaining, once again, about my lack of sleep, skip to the botton for a great link;)

And the little one said "move over, move over"...guess who fell out?

I wish that title meant I'd done something daring and crazy...

nope I just have kids

that don't sleep.

which means neither do I.

I feel like I talk about this all the time (but apparently it's my life)

I could have wrote this at 4 am (again) when Aaron woke up, and began jumping off his dresser about every two minutes with an apparently satisfying THUD...he kept it up for a couple hours.

But I didn't feel much like writing poems last night.
I felt sore.

Levi has decided I am the Human Soother. ("Pacifier" for my American pals)
Honestly, I think I wish (hence the regret) that I'd weaned him when I had the chance!

This is him when we gave him a soother yesterday, just chewed it.

We've had a house guest (which only sounds fancy when really around here it means a friend or family member is sleeping on a mattress in our playroom) which is pretty standard for us these days... it just means "cry it out" isn't much of an option (we're fine with torturing ourselves apparently).

The first time we let him cry it out, we found him like this

Anyways, Levi hates his crib, won't take a soother or a bottle, wants at least half our king-sized bed! (see the first picture I posted). And wants to nurse all night. Like worse than as a new-born. Just sucks in his sleep. And that "sucks" for me. Especially when I'm silly and stay up blogging, and then stay up talking to Ben (well at Ben really)...

The other day we were debating whether Ben really dreams seconds after he falls asleep, he thinks he does, and I was googling REM cycles trying to... prove him wrong. At one point I read that during your deep sleep before REM your brain waves slow and the blood flows away from the brain to your limbs to restore physical energy. Ahhhh, so this is why my brain isn't working (seriously, can't think os words half the time, terrifying myself that it's pregnancy brain!) and why my body feels like it's been hit by a truck (an interesting expression). I'm sooooooos sore! While Human Soother sounds somewhat "super-hero-ish" I assure it belong more in the category of effective ways to slowly torture a person.

Okay, lest a belabour the point (which, in cause you missed it: I'm tired!) on to the happy part.

This post (the afore mentioned "great link")

Thanks Teddy via Clover Lane. I needed that.

Reminded me of...you'll never guess...

Julie B Beck: (Honestly, read the whole talk it's one of my favorites, full of powerful metaphors of us as lionesses, and a great break down for prioritizing: Essentials, Necessities and "Nice to do"s)

"In order to prioritize time wisely, I learned something from my father-in-law years ago. He was a steel-worker and spent his life working three different shifts. He either worked the day shift, the afternoon shift, or the night shift.

As a young mother I realized one time that I was working all three shifts, and that’s why I was so tired. We can’t do all things all at once, and we have to be careful and safeguard our shifts.

As I have talked to young mothers and mothers with children at home—those with teenagers and young adults especially—they tell me that their most important shift to be at the top of their game...is the “swing shift.” That’s the afternoon shift. That’s when everyone comes home hungry, tired, needy, and less lovable. It is when you are hungry, tired, needy, and less loveable. It is also the time of day when people are more teachable, when they are most grateful. When we realize and prioritize our time properly, we don’t expect to use all of our strength on the other two shifts so that the afternoon shift can be safeguarded and can be a time of strength and power. We plan for times when the meals are there together, when we can create that home environment and when that family can gather, and you are the strengthening power and force in that family. Remember that influence and power come when we prioritize correctly. If you spend time elsewhere, you don’t have it to give. For other women it might be another time of the day. Some of us have to be on call during the day shift. There are many who need help during the day. Service is needed during the day, but look at and evaluate your life. Ask “Where do I need to prioritize my time?” and “When do I have to be at the top of my game?” I have learned that a good woman with the help of the Lord can usually work two to two and a half shifts. However, no one can work all three shifts. You have to prioritize where you are going to spend your energy."

Interpretation: I need a "nap" shift.

I'm also considering a sign that could hang on my door during such naps that reads:
"I work the night shift"

Remember this photo?