popped up to the shops to grab some groceries. It was a very, very different experience without a toddler in tow. No requiring a third eye to watch over her, not having to fight with her to sit in the trolley. It took half the time to shop, and there was no tantrums to negotiate. I hate to say it, but shopping for groceries was kinda blissful.
I stopped at Baker’s Delight to grab some bread and Mary, our bread lady, asked, “Where’s Lacey?”
“She’s gone away for the week with Shane,” I replied. I expected to have to get on the defensive. When I’ve mentioned to most people that Lacey and Hubby had gone away, most couldn’t believe that I’d be away from them {particularly Lacey} for that long. It was a first for me, and to be honest, it was pretty hard.
A lady standing beside me gasped, and I thought to myself, here we go. “That’s not fair!” She exclaimed.
“You’re so lucky!” cheered Mary, “You’re getting a break!”
“I need a break,” the lady beside me groaned, “I haven’t slept in 3 years!”
I nodded, “I know. I’m the same.”
“But I haven’t had a break in forever,” she pleaded as she held onto her pram.
I didn’t know what she wanted from me. Did she want to swap lives for the week? I said goodbye, and walked away. The lady had a look of envy and sadness across her face.
The funny {or not-so-funny} thing is, I actually didn’t sleep well without them. The first two nights I did, but after that I think my body went into shock. I used to sleep 9 hours or more each night before baby, but now… it seems my body expects less. I couldn’t get to sleep until late at night, and then I’d still wake up early.
Apparently, the less sleep you get, the less sleep you need. Who woulda thunk it?
Okay, I can top you – I haven't splept in 6 years! All 3 of my poppets are night owls and super early risers. The only way anyone gets any peace is if I sleep with the little people and my husband sleeps in one of the kids beds. Luckily we bought a kingsize bed with baby number 2's baby bonus! You are very right though – the less sleep you have, the less you really need.
My little Miss Ella {2.5yrs old} sounds like a similar sleeper to your little Lacey 🙂 We're up many times a night, every night…she's in our bed, I'm in hers, we swap beds again, she wants warm milk, she wants Dora etc etc etc…..!!!!!
I too think I'm just used to it now! Whenever I get the chance to have a full night's sleep {when Ella goes to grandparent's for a sleepover or when I was in hospital for 3 nights} I always expect to sleep soooo well and for so long….but not the case! I stay up late, wake during the night and rise early! I guess our bodies just stick to what they they know nowadays!!
I'm glad you got a 'break'. Us Mummies all need that every now & then!!
xo
I feel envy although I am heading north to Qld next week for 4 days, no children and no hubbie and I'm so excited. My eldest is 8 and I can proudly say that I don't feel guilty about going away, I deserve it!
A couple of days ago, sitting at my best friends table we overheard my besties husband complaining to my husband how he would love a holiday to have a break and “a well earned break”
Hilarious as the man has never cooked a meal in his life and asking him to hang the washing out can take him anywhere from two hours to a whole day.
Well, he's got his wish.
Next school holidays he's being shipped off to Canberra with the two kids for his “well earned break”
Enjoy your break!
My boy was evil for the first two weeks, but by three months he was sleeping through the night. Even now, at 3 years 8 months, he has the sleeping habits of a teenager – he'll stay awake til late and quite happily sleep til 10am if I let him (this poses a whole set of different problems).
But: I have never won the war to get him sleeping in his own bed. He sleeps in my bed. And he kicks and rolls and swings his arms around. So even though he's a fabulous sleeper … my sleep tends to be less fabulous. And yeah, I don't sleep much when he's not with me.
I know all about the sleep thing… but the reason we can't sleep properly, even when we can (if you know what I mean) is because we're like an overtired newborn. So wound up we can't wind down. It'll take more than a week to get that sorted, Chantelle!
I'm actually very interested in the women's reactions to your week away. I think a lot of the negative comments come from jealousy, I really do. Of course a mother can 'stand to be away' from her baby for a week. There are always pangs of 'missing' but it's not exactly going to kill you and the change of routine is the best kind of holiday going. Ridiculous to think otherwise, but they want to guilt trip you because they're not getting the opportunity themselves. Really.
At first it feels like you are missing a limb when you are without a little one! I have only ever spent one night at a time away – but there was my night duty stints every month where I would only see my family for an hour a day and slept all day, worked all night.
What a fab hubby you have to take Lacey and give you a break – even if you spend it working. I must plan a trip like this in the near future. But I think I will leave them and go on a girls holiday.
😉
I've never spent a night without the little one but I'm sure I'd be up all night worrying. Even when he finally slept in his crib all night I was up every two hours checking the baby monitor making sure it wasn't broken.