Elusive

Sleep has long been an issue for me and my kids.

Alyssa slept through the night exactly one time before she turned two years old.

Olivia was a pretty good sleep as an infant, but grew out of that around a year old and became, well, like her sister, less and perfect at sleeping through the night.

I'd heard of those kids who slept through the night at three months old and kind of just figured the parents were liars. I know, not a fair assumption but...it kept me sane during my sleep-deprived years.

Every time I saw a movie or television show where an adult would tuck an awake child into bed, tell them goodnight, leave the room and the child would GO TO SLEEP, I'd roll my eyes and think, "That doesn't really happen."

Except...it's happening in my house these days.

Alyssa, two months shy of her eighth birthday, can be tucked into bed, kisssed goodnight, wished sweet dreams and I can leave the room while she's still awake and ten minutes later, I can check on her and she'll be asleep.

I know!! Miracles do happen.

We fell into co-sleeping because I was so flipping tired that I was willing to do whatever it took to get Alyssa (and later Olivia) to sleep longer stretches.

These days, Alyssa is in her own bed.

Granted, her bed is still in my room, but again, we're in a new house, and Tom's not here all the time and so, for my own sense of safety and comfort, I like having her in the same room.

I know that by the time she's twelvish she'll be demanding her privacy and moving to her own room.

I'm okay with that too.

But the best thing ever? Being able to put her to bed witout having to lay with her until she sleep, and avoiding falling asleep myself.

Wow.

The things I can get done in the hours between 8pm and 10pm without tripping over kids who should be in bed. It's amazing.

I know...they should have been doing this years ago.

But they weren't and so...whatever.

I take what I can get and celebrate these milestones, however late they arrive at our home.