Back in the day, when the ladies were little and nobody ever slept at the same time and everyone was hungry at all hours of the day and night, I didn’t sleep. Really. Ever. Thanks to my eldest daughter, Beenie, I was able to experience that kind of sleepless night last night. She now can call out for “mommy”, so it’s a little extra hard to ignore the wailing. Not that I ever ignored it, just every single time can be too much. Sometimes it’s just a nightmare or random crying that if you leave it alone, it goes away. But FOUR TIMES last night and then Mimi was awakened for the fifth time I ended up in their bedroom. Thank you for a day of exhaustion, Beenie. I would like to do you the same favor by running you around outside until you are ready to sleep, but it is rainy, so inside we stay. Unless I can convince Dada to go outside with us, and we’ll all walk around and get some fresh air.
Alls I have to say is I better be getting out of this house by myself today… OR ELSE!
20 Fingers, 20 Toes 
Sleepless nights suck. Nightmare-d babes suck. Not the babe’s fault. Yet, sucks.
My wee one didn’t sleep through the night until 28 months, and is still off and on. Big days, with lots to do (especially days of sharing or close contact with other kids) make his nights really hard. Nighmares, screaming in his sleep, talking in his sleep. Keeping us up all night. Each time we moved this fall, he went back to needing help back to sleep four times a night.
The pediatrician told us to try explaining the deal to him. Your girls are old enough, too. This isn’t a one year old technique, but after 2+, they’re with it enough to try this: Your body needs sleep. My body really needs sleep. When you call me at night, I come to help, but the next day I’m very, very grouchy and tired. We’re in the next room and we can come check on you when we need to. But you’re warm and safe and cozy and have xxx to cuddle when you wake up. So if you wake up and it’s still dark, roll over, cuddle xxxx, and go back to sleep. Because Mommy is much, much more fun, more smiles, more nice when you sleep, sleep, sleep all the way until morning. Don’t call Mommy. Go back to sleep.
It actually worked pretty well for us. And then it didn’t. And then it did again.
I just hope you get some sleep tonight. Because one wake makes a day miserable, and four wakes makes the day and night an emotional, intellectual, and physical living hell.
good luck.
you got that right, soul sister. last night was better. one minor hour post bedtime wake-up, where someone needed to be held (i can’t remember who it was, strangely), then all night sleeping. they do go through waves of sleeping great then crappy. or one sleeps great and the other not. there is no justice, though the one who keeps waking up has been kissing the boo boo on my knee regularly, so maybe one of them will show up at my funeral. it’s all i can ask for, really.