no rest for the weary

My littlest one- Kid4 does not sleep well, she never has. She can go days with very little sleep. She woke up this morning at 3:00am and here we are up together again.

Over the years as we have been up while everyone else sleeps I have changed my perspective about the loss of sleep. When I had babies and was losing sleep I would always try to remember that it's a short amount of time that you have alone in the night nursing babies or up with your arms around them. There will be a day when they don't need you anymore. When Kid4 is awake I try to enjoy it to the best of my sleepy ability by reading books, talking to her with no interruptions, holding her, just being with her during the quiet nights.

Im not saying Im never frustrated and in fact I have had many nights where I was frustrated to tears about no sleep- I just try to remind myself that it's only a matter of time until she will be up alone not needing my company, curling up in a chair without my lap, reading to herself without my help.

The sleepness nights with our kids are short. (short in the grand scheme of things of course) Holding that little sleeping warm body is gone in the blink of an eye.

My friend Steph just had a baby and I have thought of her so many times when I have been up with Kid4 lately. Steph must be weary and tired with 3 small kids at home. I loved THIS post because she threw caution to the wind and let the kids play and be kids even though she must be weary and tired and up all night. Don't worry Steph I SWEAR those days will go quick and you'll be back to sleeping soon!

**the picture above is Kid1 and Kid4 taking an afternoon nap. He had a HARD day at school and she hadn't slept the night before so she crawled onto his back and they both fell asleep. They are big fans of one other!