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Friday, April 07, 2006

Do you ever sleep well again after having kids?

Do parents ever really sleep well? Those commercials for sleep-aids are looking mighty appealing. Not to whine, well, maybe to whine a little ... it's been one of those sleep-free weeks for the mother in the McDowell household.

A sick 6-year-old has me remembering the first month home from the hospital ... waking up every two hours or so. But this time, instead of getting up for feedings it was to check temperatures and levels of congestion. It was tough getting any sleep at all, worrying and feeling helpless against the virus that was making my little one so sick, and I couldn't do much about it except try to help her feel better while she battled it off.

On top of that, my teenager got my blood boiling by trying to stretch his wings a little too far and ignoring my calls to his cell phone. It was the wrong week to mess with my temper. But for the teen, a few days sans cell phone service - along with a lecture on the topic that "You have a cell phone so we can reach you, not so you can text message your girlfriend and ignore your parents' calls" - helped him see the light. Eventually.

It boggles my mind that the lack of a cell phone was seen as such a tragedy. My next threat is to empty his Ipod file and fill it only with elevator music. Or replace his XBox games with all early childhood-rated ones. (And he says he's not spoiled??) These are the plots I hatch at 3 a.m. after being up with a sick child.

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