Sleep Deprivation as a Mommy

On Monday we enjoyed a play date at Jordan and Tabatha's house. Delphine is their mommy. She is hot, oops, I mean she is pretty.

Delphine tiredly said to me, "I'm getting about 4 to 6 hours of sleep night. I am amazed I can still function."

Just recently Delphine emailed me a picture she had taken when she came for a play date at our place back in May 2007. I treasure this picture. It captures my happiness and yet brings back the feeling of that mommy tiredness I felt.
This mommy tiredness is not the same as when you stayed up too late hanging out with friends or working late at work. It's five times worse. This sort of tiredness would make a grown man cry and I think it may have made me cry once or twice.

Having the mommy sleep deprivation syndrome (I made that up!) does eventually pass. But not without some drama like feeling inadequate, guilty and lazy:

• my grand-ma had 16 kids surely I can't be this tired with having only two kids (but I was)
• I can't pay a sitter to watch my kids so I can go attend a yoga class (but I do)
• I feel so weak for needing a break (now I feel stronger for getting a break)

Sleep is a beautiful thing. Off I go to enjoy it.