A Jen Too Many

Right. Blogging. Something I should do.

Wow, has it been that long since I actually posted something substantive?

Oops.

*groan* I am so not awake yet, though. I was typing a response to a comment before starting on this post and I kept typing the wrong words. I reread what I'd written, and kept looking at this one word, vaguely aware something was wrong, but not able to pull my mind together enough to realize what.

I'm like this in the morning. I can't make my eyes open for a while, then I have to wait until they consent to focus. If I try to make myself move too quickly I tend to lose my balance and walk into walls.*

Last night I made the fatal error of staying up until after midnight. A very, very bad idea.** It was very difficult waking up this morning and took much longer than usual to get all systems up and running. It's not my fault, though. It's because we had our ward Halloween party last night and it started at the same time as our usual bedtime.

So, we got home nearly 2 hours late for bed. This wasn't a problem for OGC (except for the crankiness we will undoubtedly have to endure when she gets home from school today), but Youngest Girl Child is a night owl. She never falls asleep until about two hours after I put her to bed. Whenever I put her to bed. It doesn't work just putting her to bed later, because she'll just fall asleep later. This makes me crazy, because it means I spend the entire evening fielding requests from her.

"I'm hungry."
"I'm thirsty."
"I want to snuggle."
"I'm not tired."
"I'm hungry."
"I'm bored"
"I'm thirsty."
"I can't fall asleep."
"I'm thirsty."
"Mommy, will you come talk with me?"
"I'm hungry."

It was 10:30 before she finally fell asleep.

Have I mentioned before my obsessive need for alone time? I tried once to get it by getting up earlier. You know what I found out? No matter how early you get up, if you don't want the rest of the family to get up, they will.

The only way I can get alone time - time when the house is quiet and I'm not dealing with any requests, needs, or injuries - is when I stay up late. Which is why I am so tired this morning.

Next year. Next year I will have everyone in school all day long. All. Day. Long. Hours and hours of solitude (except when The Boy Child and Husband Darling are at home. So, hours and hours of solitude a few times a month.)

I might actually get completely caught up on my sleep. Wow.
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*Of course, all that goes out the window when I start the day off with a healthy dose of adrenaline, the way I did the other morning when my alarm didn't go off and Husband Darling woke me at 7. "Bwaaaa!! Oldest Girl Child! GET UP NOW! Get dressed! Get your book bag! DON'T MISS THE BUS!"

**Gosh, I am getting so old. I was complaining to a friend last night that I was tired and it had been a long day and I wanted to go to home, sit down, and maybe go to bed early. It was only a little after 7 p.m. I used to stay up until 3 and 4 a.m. all the time and get up and go to class the next day without a second thought. And now I can't stay up past midnight. Sheesh.