mrtl: Exhaustion

Today the girls and I took a ride to the Nature Center to watch the release of an eagle back into the wild. It was a thing of beauty, seeing the bird, after struggling against being held for some parting shots, beat tail out of there. I could relate.

Mister mrtl has been gone less than a week, and I'm already planning my escape. After his return, maybe sometime next summer, I am going to take a holiday. (Yes, mister, I'm sure I could take such a holiday while my parents watch the kids. For you to even bring this thought up would only show that you don't get it.)

::tangent for breaking events::
At this very moment, Jem is trying to poke a cheez-it between my toes.
::end tangent for breaking events::

Jem used to go to bed very easily -- hell, she'd say, "Nigh! Nigh!" and run down the hall to her room without prompting -- is now putting up a major fight. Teething? Check. Heat? check.

::tangent for resolution::
I shall no longer brag that we don't have air conditioning in Alaska.
::end tangent for resolution::

Last night it all culminated into a big soup of Drive Momma Crazy. There was a lot planned for that time after they were asleep: work, bills, knitting, treadmill, shower...

Last night Jem would.not. go to sleep. She was tired, and was acting it, but wouldn't settle down. After Bug went to bed, I tried more to settle her with no success. I started planning to have a drink and take $10 from Jem's savings account to pay off the weight loss group. Instead, I put her in her crib to scream and hit the treadmill for ten minutes. She didn't let up. I brought her downstairs to play in the bathroom's towel cupboard while I took a shower. It was 9:15 when I went to bed, Jem in the playard next to my bed. The moment I lay down, she settled down and fell into a deep sleep.

It wasn't long before I realized I hadn't taken my allergy meds. Bad idea. She was out, so I snuck out to the kitchen. Woot! I would be able to get some things done afterall! Glancing out the window, I saw I left a cushion on a chair outside. Knowing it was supposed to rain last night, I took a second to open the door to...

::tangent for all hell breaking loose::
Did I mention that we had a home security system installed yesterday? The damned thing went off, loudly and shrilly. I grabbed the phone for the call from the monitor and ran to the keypad.
::end tangent for all hell breaking loose::

Would you believe that Jem didn't wake up? Bug did, of course, and the poor thing was shaking uncontrollably from the fear. After hugging and rocking her at the top of the stairs, I couldn't send her back to her room. Boohbah was fetched and she came down, too.

Jem woke up soon after. It took her some time to settle back down.

It's amazing how one lost night of "me" time wears on me.

::tangent for breaking events::
Bug is patiently waiting for me to finish typing so she can write her name (we open up word and try different fonts and word art). She just said, "Mommy, I LOVE you!" then started pressing my arm between her hands saying, "Squeek! Squeek!" Does anything beat that?
::end tangent for breaking events::

Jem went to bed easy tonight. KNOCK ON WOOD. Hopefully she'll stay down, as will Bug. Me time may just involve sleeping for me tonight, though.