I’m utterly exhausted.
Last night was a marathon of restless sleep where I found myself in a king-sized bed, wedged into a top bunk, squeezed onto a twin bottom bunk, and even dozing on the floor next to the crib, using a Boppy as a pillow. All of this happened between 10 PM and 6:30 AM.
I’m so fatigued that I leave footprints on the hardwood floor from my midnight pacing. I really ought to invest in a pedometer – I’m convinced I burn more calories wandering around at night than during the day. Scratch that; with all the walking and constant breastfeeding, it’s definitely more than during the day.
Even my dog has given up on sleeping in my room; he needs his rest and it turns out, he isn’t nocturnal.
I’m so tired that I mistakenly poured orange juice into my coffee and squeezed tinted moisturizer onto my toothbrush. My pants were inside out when I arrived at Pure Barre, and I could tell by the odd looks from the other women that something was off. I dashed to the bathroom to fix it.
I’ve searched for my keys in the freezer before, recalling how I found them there once during a grocery unloading spree. Sometimes, you just tuck them away with the frozen peas.
This morning, I even found my home phone in my purse after dropping the kids off at school. I’ve made appointments only to forget the details immediately after hanging up, too embarrassed to call back.
When my five-year-old completed a Mother’s Day project at school, she listed my favorite thing as sleep and my favorite drink as coffee – no surprise there. I can’t recall the last time I had an uninterrupted night’s sleep, but it’s definitely been over two years.
I’m a walking dairy factory for my nine-month-old, and I’ve Googled “baby sleep” more than a thousand times in the past year. I get infuriated reading comments on parenting websites from anonymous parents boasting about their six-week-old sleeping through the night thanks to their “nighttime routine.” Thanks for that, anonymous parents; I’ve never considered it!
I get equally annoyed when friends post on Facebook about their first child sleeping through the night at just a few months old. They don’t realize the curse they’re placing on themselves or the struggle of parents with not-so-great sleepers.
I own more than a dozen sleep books. I once thought I might have brushed against a parked car while navigating heavy traffic with three screaming kids in the back of the van. Late for an appointment and with nowhere to stop, I returned five minutes later to find the car had vanished. When I confessed my concern at the police station, the officer kindly suggested I go home and take a nap – clearly, I was a danger to myself.
With the baby on my hip, I explained to the officer that I drive a minivan, which has been a magnet for mishaps – both sides are scraped up from my frequent bumps into trash cans. I once had a construction worker witness my multiple failed attempts to park next to the curb on an empty street. After several tries, I made a hasty exit around the corner, hoping he wouldn’t see me fumble with such a simple task. After three kids, I’m convinced parking skills are the first thing to go when you’re this tired.
Making small talk has become a challenge; I often trip over my words and walk away mortified. Just yesterday, my daughter’s teacher complimented her pink Converse shoes, and I blurted out, “Oh, her husband loves shoes,” when I meant my husband.
I’m so worn out that I don’t even crave candy, yet I find myself shoving handfuls of chocolate chips or leftover Halloween treats into my mouth just to make it to bedtime.
I take full responsibility for my exhaustion. With three kids under five, the odds of at least one waking up in the night are sky-high. If I’m up three times with the baby and twice with my three-year-old, that adds up to five wake-ups. The math is simple: three kids equal perpetual sleep deprivation.
I truly understand the term “bone tired.” I ache all over and recognize why sleep deprivation is considered a form of torture. I desperately need to sleep train the baby – and fast!
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Conclusion
In summary, the exhaustion of parenting young children is profound. From sleepless nights and forgetfulness to accidental mix-ups, life with three little ones can feel like a never-ending cycle of fatigue, leaving many parents yearning for just a few moments of restorative sleep.
Keyphrase: Parenting Exhaustion
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