But with a family of 7, some weeks just get crazy!
Monday was piano and I went out to dinner with a girlfriend, alone.
Tuesday we had conferences with Brenna and Sierra's teachers.
Wednesday we all went to church.
Thursday we had Jamison's final football game at 4, the grandparents over for dinner, and then Krissy's choir concert at 8. Seriously!
Tonight we will be at church enjoying pizza with some friends.
Every activity we had was something important, but it has been A LOT! This morning driving home from school drop-off I told Joshua I thought we should go for a stroller-bike run and he almost burst into tears. He said, "NO! Stay home! Mommy and Joshua, we stay home!"
Mommy and Joshua being able to stay home has been the glue that held him together this week. Since our evenings were so packed with activities, many of them being new experiences, I made sure we had a lot of quiet mommy and Joshua time during the day.
To make even more sure he gets enough quiet time with mommy, Joshua has been waking up at around 5 AM all week... for the day! For the last several months if Joshua woke up before 6:30 I would pull him into our bed and he would nestle in and quickly fall right back to sleep. Not this week!
This week he wiggles and kicks and cuddles way too close making sure I am right there. This morning Chad said to me, "What is up with Joshua this week?"
And it the answer finally occurred to me.
Last Saturday I got up really early to make Jamison breakfast before he got on the bus for his away game. Joshua was in bed with Chad and they both were sound asleep, so I decided to drive Jamison to his school. Because sleep has been SO hard we have been really careful to make sure that I am always within earshot of Joshua first thing in the morning. I knew it would damage his trust in me and over all feeling of security if I was not there right away upon waking up, so I have not ran in the early morning hours once since May. (That sentence is dripping with self-pity! I do adore running in the silence of early mornings. The payoff though was the most wonderful 2-yr-old snuggle sessions I have ever experienced. The benefits definitely out weighed the cost.) Saturday I decided to risk it. It was a short trip and he was with his daddy. It took about 7 minutes round trip - but in those 7 minutes Joshua woke up. And his Mommy was gone! He was pretty panicked when I returned, but he settled down pretty quickly when I held him close. We had a great day and my morning absence has not been mentioned since.
However, he has also refused to let himself sleep past 5:30 ever since that morning. I suspect that he is keeping himself awake early in the morning so that if Mommy has to leave he will be alert and ready to join me. Oh, yes! He really IS that smart and sensitive. He has experienced loss and his survival instincts are strong! (I know some of you all think I am crazy, but his daddy totally agreed with me so I really think I am correct on this one.)
Since Joshua has perfected "the nap" he has not been a bit overtired this week. I on the other hand am a bit sleepy!
Perhaps when I explain to him that mommy will be here in the morning he will sleep at least a little bit longer tomorrow?!?
***You have read a lot of "Philosophy BY Alicia" this week. Tomorrow is my "blogiversary" and I have something fun planned. I will be trading this heavy/introspective heart for a heart of joy and celebrating in a new-to-me way (at least for the day). Curious?
