Friday, September 07, 2007

E is for Exhausted

Eli started back to preschool this week. He has to be there by 9:00 am, and after a summer of sleeping in, this whole getting up early thing is kicking my ass. Eric looked at my bank transactions yesterday. He read aloud, “Starbucks, It’s A Grind, Scooters, Starbucks . . . are you thinking if you mix it up, I won’t notice how much you’re spending on coffee?”

Dude! There has not been enough coffee to keep me awake this week. We were drugging Eli giving Eli Melatonin a few months ago (per his doctor’s suggestion) to get him to sleep. We stopped it after he had been on it long enough to “develop a sleeping habit.” Yeah, what the f*ck ever! A week later, Eli was back to his 11:30 bed time.

Since preschool started on Tuesday, we tried desperately to get Eli into bed Monday night. It was a killer. We started trying at 8:30, and he kept getting up and getting up until 11:30. That puts me in bed after midnight, and I have to get up before 7:00 to try to drag him out of bed. And a struggle it is.

I start by gently trying to wake him up. No response. So, I sit on his bed and give him tons of kisses. Then he starts swatting in my general direction, but doesn’t open his eyes. Then I start the singing, and then comes the tickling. When he does finally open his eyes, I usually get one of the following responses: “Fifteen more minutes!” or “MAMA! GO AWAY!” or “I am NOT going to school!”

Sometimes I’m quick enough that I can actually get him dressed before he even wakes up. On those mornings, I refer to myself as Quick Draw Mommy. If I can manage to shove a bowl of oatmeal down him, and get Georgia up, dressed and fed, and out the door by 8:30 . . . well, dammit, then I deserve a freaking latte.

I don’t know what I am going to do next year when he starts kindergarten and we have to be there by 8:00 a.m. Oh, I am going to be so screwed.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

8:00?
That deserves a Latte with extra whip!

Donna. W said...

Melatonin isn't an addictive drug. I think, strictly speaking, it isn't a drug at all. I'd go ahead and give it to him, if it helped.

Hey, I finally got my Dyson Animal-hair vac.

I can't stop vacuuming! HELP!!!! Somebody stop me! I've dumped enough dog hair to make two new dogs.

Maggie Moo said...

Wow! Quick Draw Mommy indeed! Ha ha ha...here's to LOTS of coffee and weekends....

Patois42 said...

Grass is always greener and that crap aside, I'd love to have my kids sleep later. They've always been early birds, and I find myself getting up earlier and earlier to try to get a head start.

Sandee said...

You have the most interesting life. Wait until they are teenagers. That's when the real fun begins. Hang in there...they will be grown and gone in no time and you'll wonder how it happened so fast. Get some rest. :)

SQT said...

My son started pre-school two weeks ago and it's kicking my ass! I am soooo tired.

My husband also forgot to check my daughter's homework last night, so I'm up at 12:30 in morning looking at the stuff she didn't do and thinking, oh God, I gotta get up earlier tomorrow to make sure she fixes this?

I'm surviving on energy drinks since I don't like coffee.

Mo and The Purries said...

Melatonin has to be better than my suggestion (a Nyquil shooter at dinner). 11:30?!?!? for a five year old? Dude, I'm if I'm not in bed by ten (granted, I read for about 2 hours) I am cranky and yawning.

Perhaps you need your own personal Barista, who makes house calls!

Crazy Working Mom said...

By then, you'll have it down pat! :)