Friday, February 13, 2009

Here's Another Hit

Fancy that. I'm wanting to start every blog post with, "My mom always told me...." And interestingly enough, I don't feel like she was actively didactic throughout my life. She must have just talked a lot. :)

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My mom always tells me how she became a lot nicer to everyone once she started sleeping again. After about a 12 year hiatus from A Full Night's Sleep, my mom's mood improved immensely and she felt like a fully functioning human being again. I'm glad she can laugh about it now, instead of plotting revenge on us kids.

But, I always found it intriguing that someone's personality could actually become different with a lack of sleep. Of course my mom was always my mom, but really she was kind of a pale shadow of herself. The idea that bringing children into the world also equalled a certain commitment to losing that Awake part of your personality never really hit home for me until Jack came.

After getting over the initial novelty of having him around, Jack has become pretty easy to hang out with, for the most part. Sure, he has his days where I can't put him down or he insists on seeing every shirt in my wardrobe and facilitates that by puking on all the subsequent ones. Who doesn't have days like that, though? And with the newness wearing off, the playing house-ness of waking up multiple times a night became a nightly grind. This especially became the case when Caleb and I decided that it would be best if he went to school at 8 a.m. every morning, instead of only twice a week. After we came to that conclusion, I dedicated myeslf to bother him the least amount possible every night (which still equates to some Take The Baby Please moments). So, what does all of this mean, other than fewer quality nights of sleeping?

The Awake part of my personality has become pretty dormant. Though I try not to be, I'm a little snippier when faced with something or someone that makes me lose my patience. My spontaneous urges to lift the world off its feet are far fewer. Staying awake to watch Saturday Night Live, even if the host is Neil Patrick Harris (Doogie 4 Eva! <3), seems to be an overwhelming task. And dagnabbit, I just can't help myself sometimes and I give in to my boldly assertive side that I thought I'd tamed once I got married.

Though I really like Awake Me, I also really like Jack. I'll just have to hope that until my baby days are over, everyone will know to try not to take the assertive side of me too personally (though I secretly wish I could be aggressively assertive all the time! Go me!).

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Squishy Friend is almost two years old. I'm shocked he's made it this far, with how rough and tumble Caleb is with him.

1 comment:

Angie said...

Holly I think your posts are some of the most entertaining to read. You have a very good writing ability. I love it. I totally relate to the personality changes that come with sleep deprivation. Too bad for my daughter Ellie, she gets to see that way more than her fair share. Course, she adds to my deprivation. Two year olds. It's a love hate relationship...