A Major Miracle

Both boys slept through the night last night.  {insert happy dance here}

I think I can count on one hand the number of time Littler has slept through the night.  He is finally night weaned, again.  We would do it, he would sleep better for maybe a night or two and then be right back to nightwakings.  And poor, tired out Mama would do the easiest thing possible - bring him to bed with her and just nurse the night away.  But the repetitive nightweanings didn't help much, we kept ending up right back where we started and quickly.  So I finally cut him off.  Oh, I still bring him to bed with me when he wakes up (notice "when" not "if.")  But no more nursing... before 5am.  I could handle starting my day at 5 if I had a decent night's sleep under my belt. 

And I have no idea what has been going on with Bigger.  He has been waking and crawling into bed with me at some point during the night and I'm so tired I often don't even notice until I have to get up to get the screaming toddler who is throwing everything he went to bed with out on the floor, which is often quite noisy because he sleeps with books and a sippy cup of water.  Maybe I should start getting those out of his crib before I go to bed...  Anyway, usually, as long as he's not soaking wet, I don't mind.  But when Daddy isn't working the nightshift it gets pretty cozy with the four of us in a full sized bed.  The other night I had to lie on one side hoping no one rolled over and pushed me onto the floor!  A bunch of bed hogs I sleep with. 

But yesterday they got a good nap in while we were walking to the grocery store in search of eggs and ground beef.  And Bigger even said he was still tired, after that 2 hour nap.  The funniest thing woke him up - we were hanging out on the grass outside our building because the stroller we're using at the moment doesn't fit through the doors with the boys in it.  Littler had woken up and we were watching the traffic.  We were all very excited to see a dump truck drive by, towing a "Scoop" and another working machine.  Bigger's head popped right up at shouts of this and turned to see even though he was obviously still tired and probably could have slept a while longer.   And then bedtime came and they even went to bed without much fuss.  Lately it's been an hour of whining, getting back out of bed, crying, demanding snuggles and tummy "wugs" (rubs) - all quite irritating at the end of a day that starts around 6am.   But not last night.  We put them to bed and Bigger was pretty much quiet while Littler fussed a bit but was out too in about 20 minutes. 

And they stayed asleep.  Littler was up just before 5 and came to bed for a snuggle.  Bigger came in and got in on the action a little before 6 and then we were all up at 6.  It was heavenly.  I only wish I had managed to get to bed earlier last night so I would have gotten more sleep.  But I'll take it.  :)  It was amazing. 

Sadly, it's anyone's guess if it will happen again.  The boys are firmly against napping today and are already pitching ridculously huge fits at each other for swiping toys and books from each other and at me for putting them in time out for hitting each other with toys and books.  Although, watching Littler walk over to Bigger saying "sowwy, broder" and snatching up the car from in front of said brother which started the fight that landed him in time out was pretty funny.  Especially when he hightailed it back across the room with the car as fast as his little legs could carry him.  I really tried not to laugh because Bigger was truly upset by this.  But it was funny. Oh, how quickly they learn.  If only they would learn that sleep is good. 

I know, I know "just wait till they're 14, you wont be able to wake them up for anything."  That's just a little cruel to tell a sleep deprived Mama, don't you think?  ;-)