for SLEEP!

Although Rowan's been sleeping from 8:00 p.m. until 7:00 a.m. for months now, I am happy to report that last night I got more than 5 hours of sleep because Sawyer decided to sleep from 9:30 until 4:00. He nursed for 20 mintues, then slept until 7:15! It was a dream night! You just don't realize how much you miss sleeping until it's taken from you night after night.

There have been times in the past 2 3/4 months that I wake up, responding to Sawyer's cries for milk, when I throw my pillow at Kenny as I get out of bed. Unintentionally, of course. Actually, it's completely intentional, but he's so sound asleep, he doesn't even notice, so it's all in vain. But I'm so jealous of him all snuggled under our down comforter, sleeping away until his 7:00 a.m. wake up call from Rowan. I think, "parenting is a 50/50 job, so why do I get all the dirty work in th emiddle of the night?" Then I have to remind myself that it's my fault that I have to get up at night because I insist on breastfeeding rather than bottle feeding. Then I become insanely jealous of all the bottle-feeding parents out there. Because they can TAKE TURNS at night. (And for those dads out there who say, "take turns? i can't take a nap at work, and my wife can"...that's total bologna. When you have two kids, there is NO nap taking for the mama either).

Sleep is a hard, hard habit to break. When Rowan fights me when I try to lay him down for a nap, I keep telling him that when he's my age, he'll be offereing his right arm for a good long nap.

There are so many things that we're thankful for this year. So I know it sounds really shallow that I'm very thankful for sleep today. But sleep makes me a better mama. And wife. And daughter. And friend. And a better person all around who can be thankful (and not jealous).

:D