Seems like when you have new born babies, people are full of advice on how you should handle it. They are sure you aren’t doing it right.

I found myself guilty of this myself at the dentist office the other day. The technician had a friend whose baby was cranky all day but slept well at night. I identified it as hunger, which is how Sam acted before I gave in and supplemented him with formula. Who knows if this new mother will appreciate my advice. I know if I got it when I had my first born I would be offended. No one could tell me the right was to raise Jack. I had read too many ‘expert’ books to listen to a layman.

Funny how things change. Now when people tell me how I need to change my mothering methods, I welcome the discussion. I no longer look at it as a personal affront, but rather helpful advice from friends.

My friend Lottie came by the other day and said I really need a night nurse. She suggested at least hiring one for a few weeks to help train the twins to sleep longer. Now why didn’t I think of that? It’s a great compromise. I don’t have to have a night nurse for months, I can do it during the stretch of time when I feel it’s right to sleep train, should that become necessary.

Another friend, Tami, suggested I get a night nurse for at least one night to get some sleep. Again, I’m open to the idea of getting someone in one or two nights a week to get some sleep. Perhaps it’s money better spent than trying to catch up on sleep during the day?

Either way, I decided to listen to Adam and everyone else’s advice and hire my summer helper for a few hours this morning so I could get some sleep. Everyone seemed very happy about this except for Jack. He was going to miss playing with her, he had school. Even Ben waved me off without a second thought as soon as Kristen arrived!

There was no way I would be able to sleep in the house with so many people around, so I drove to the gym to lay down in the sleep room. Yes, our gym has a sleep room.

Adam hitched a ride with me and on the way there I told him how I didn’t feel tired at all. It’s incredible how many nights you can go without sleep and run on fumes alone. I was only going to the gym to sleep because everyone else in my life is insisting on it.

I told him how upsetting it was for me to leave Kristen to play with Ben. That should be me playing with Ben. I didn’t want to miss the joy of wrestling with him and giving him the tickle torture.

In fact, if there was one part of this exhausting experience that I could pass to someone else it would be sleep. If only I could hire Kristen to sleep for me?

In the end I fell asleep instantly and woke with the feeling that it was the middle of the night.  I realized I am tired, but I’m in the thick of it and it’s hard to identify and all to easy to ignore.