In starting the school year at home, and in starting the blog back up, I’d hoped that I would fall into a rhythm with ease. I’d hoped that our days would run smoothly, the children would learn quickly what was expected of them in the morning, for school and for the rest of the day. I’d hoped that baby T would be the complete angel that he is and actually nap at the times I wanted him to nap, and, of course, sleep through the night so that I could rise early and start the day off right.

Three weeks in and all that has happened…never.

And I kinda knew it wouldn’t, but still one hopes.

Most days run smoothly with the routine and the doing of things. It’s the attitude with which tasks are completed or delayed which needs improvement. And from my end there has been no sleep. I rejoiced this morning and felt like a completely new woman because I got four beautiful, wonderful, uninterrupted hours of sleep. On the couch.

Baby T has had deteriorating sleeping patterns since July, culminating in a few nights recently of waking every two, yes 2, hours and not sleeping again until I let the milk flow. So last night, when he woke at 2:30 after eating at 12:30 and would not settle no matter how much shooshing and holding and patting and singing, I gave him to my amazing husband and went to the couch. [Amazing husband held him for 5 minutes, put him down and he fell right to sleep after a little fussing. Four hours later…]

The magic of four hours of uninterrupted sleep is incredible. I was up and ready for the day! I was the cheerful mother I’ve been striving to be. We had morning routine and school! School lasted 30 minutes! Baby T napped for 2 hours! I had a good session in the kitchen while Baby T napped…again…for 2 more hours! It’s been amazing.

And I know it’s grace. And I am grateful. And I rejoice in this day, this cool late summer day with its fun and its successes. I am grateful for good sleep and I am grateful for my crawling baby. I am grateful for the children in the back porch play spider as the massive spider in it’s web on our kitchen window “plugs in the killing stuff, sucks out the juice then eats it” to a fly. [quotation by J bear, 4]. I’m even grateful for the spider. It’s beautiful, in a creepy stay outside kind of way.

Also, I’m making saurkraut. Tell ya about that one later.