Nighttime family walks

We went on a night walk this week, which really only happens during this time of year, after daylight savings when we "fall back" and get darkness earlier in the evening.  My boys are early to bed, early to rise sort of kids - like in bed at 7pm, up at 6am - so we love this time of year. 

Little R was armed with two glow bracelets, one on each hand.  "Flicker" the flashlight was leading the way, guided by the little 4 year old voice saying "lets round the bend" in reference to turing the sidewalk corner, a statement he heard from one of his favorite train shows I am sure of.  There were geese that would pass in the dark night sky, in hundreds, making their presence known with the unmistakable squawking noise.  Our 1 year old would quickly look up in the sky, pointing his little pointer finger, staring in amazement at the mass number of geese flying through the sky making it that much darker.

These rather simple things - taking a night walk, seeing flocks of geese take over the night sky - are so much more exciting to experience with my little boys.  P and I love these moments.  It is the moments like this, that make getting up in the middle of the night for the 5th time, for the 5th night in a row, so much more do-able. 

Like last night for instance.  Sweet K was up, fussing, constantly.  We've been struggling with sickness for over a month.  And I'd be lying if I didn't admit to swearing under my breath every time my warm, pregnant body had to curl out from my cozy pillowtop mattress, and my embarrassing stash of pillows in order to tend to his cry.  But I did it, cause I am a mommy.  And while I wanted to just ignore the cry away, stay warm and content in my bed, and get the rest I need to function as a competent nurse today - I am a mommy, and mommy trumps all those other demands.  So I made that walk down the hall, checked my tiredness and frustrations at his bedroom door, and walked in every.single.time a patient, loving mommy to do that soothing, loving thing that just has to be done in order to hush a sick baby temporarily back to sleep.

The night continued on like this, till at 5am I finally gave him some milk and wished for all in my tiny apartment (we had some lovely visitors) that he would go back to sleep.  Then I got ready for my 6:30am to 4:30pm workday.

and now I am at work, and got a text message from P that the boys got up at 8:15am!  Two hours and 15 minutes later than their normal wake up time.  While I am thrilled for P to soak up this precious sleep, as he has two big interviews this week - he leaves tonight for CT, and then later in the week for TX - I'd be lying to say that I am not completely jealous that I didn't get to enjoy sleeping in.

Cause dude, a girls gotta get some sleep sometime!  Especially one who is 23 weeks pregnant.  Sheesh!