Good Morning to you, too.

It is 5AM and Charming is wide awake. As he has been since 4:15. Now that we've crossed over into the 5 o'clock hour and he only seems to be showing more and more awake personality, I've nearly decided to just make some coffee and call it day.

Why bother trying to get any more night out of yesterday when I never really got any in the first place? As I told Hubs, rather hysterically, at midnight, I don't know why I didn't go to bed at 7 when I was falling asleep on the couch. Silly me thought that if I went to bed that early I would have a restless night. I didn't realize it would be the only night I would have the privilege of having.

Shortly after 8 Frodo, who'd been asleep since 4:30 (fell asleep in the living room with a fever--it was a good bet he'd stay down) came to me. I asked if he needed a drink. No. What do you need buddy? "I just want to sit with you!" He shrieked.

Okay, Charming just rolled back to tummy. That is a first. At 5:09. And he'd grinning like he just did something big. I guess I'll continue to be nice.

Now, back to my regularly scheduled griping.

I don't know how else to describe Frodo's statement other than shriek. Hub's and I exchanged humored looks and I scooped him up and we "sat." Half an hour later when we had both dozed off, I tried to put him in his bed. Unacceptable. This little ball of fire must sleep on me with his heavy blanket in THIS HEAT.

Fifteen minutes later it was a moot point because Charming was awake and "hungry."

Nurse. Place sleeping baby in cradle. Brush teeth. Go to bed. Hear fussing baby. Repeat. Three times. Grow hysterical. Enter thunderstorm. Go help Hubs bring in stuff from backyard. Climb back in bed. Big thunder. Enter Eldest. Sleep (or cry from fear and fever) between Mom and Charming (two feet between bed and cradle). Two hours of thunder and rain and fear. Charming needs to eat. Step over Eldest who gets up and does something. Enter Frodo who wants to sleep in my bed. Enter Eldest who resituates himself. Try to wake Hubs to get at least one boy on his side of the bed. Fail. Frodo situates himself somewhere. Mom tries to situate now dozy Charming in his cradle. Fail. Charming has recognized that he is not the only one awake and perceives that that means it is morning. Begins "talking" in bed. Eldest rolls over and makes closet doors bang. Mom scoops up baby heads for recliner. Forty-five minutes later gives up fight and begins typing.

If I got an hour of sleep I'd be surprised.

This reminds me of the nights when I had fewer children and I was so depressed and desperate for some sleep and I'd think, "For this child I prayed...and now all I can pray is that he'll go to sleep." You always think in the infertile years you will appreciate the sleepless nights. While I tolerate them better than I might otherwise, I have absolutely no appreciation for them.

That was my pity party and I'm cordially disinviting myself now. I'm going to go make some coffee. After all sunrise is only an hour off.