Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Sleeping is no game, you know?


Gosh, what a day! or half day, or maybe night . . . I don't know, I'm so confused right now. I got busy last night and by the time I checked the clock, it was 5AM !! Heather had requested to be woke up this morning at 6AM. (by mom, NOT dad. Apparently, Heather has complaints about dad's boring and grumpy demeanor in the AM) I had to run to the bank right after Heather left for school, when I got home, Nick and Jennifer had arrived to drop off the bunny -AGAIN. It seems that even after Jennifer produced tears and manipulated her father into allowing her to keep the rabbit, there was dissension among the siblings as to the fairness of his decision, so the rabbit ended up back at my house. What a wuss !!! (I guess saying no to children is a male trait) Anyway, by the time that Nick and Jennifer got the rabbit settled in and themselves out the door, it was 10:30 AM Monday morning! So that's when I went to bed. I know it's crazy, but I was tired.


I set the alarm for 2:30 PM so I could get up and shower before Jake came home, and I snuggled under the blankets with my dogs camped out on the floor around my bed. As I drifted off, my brain started recollecting the strange little thoughts and games that I played as child when I couldn't sleep. Of course, there was the famous pillow flip to find the coolest side. (I still do that sometimes)


There was the rolling of the blankets under my toes so that the alligators at the foot of my bed, couldn't snack on my digits while I slept. Of course, back then, there was still a good 1-2 feet between where my toes ended, and the bottom of the mattress. It couldn't just be empty space - something had to live there! What?! Didn't you have something at the foot of your bed, waiting for you to drift off and nibble your little piggies during the night? I don't know which is more ridiculous, the fear of alligators in my bed, or the idea that wrapping my toes in blankets would provide any sort of protection ! But that's how a little kid's minds work - if there is an empty space, it has to be filled with imagination.


Until I was 6 or 7 years old, I firmly believed that an entire colony of fluffy little people, the size ants, lived full and rich lives inside my pillow. Their homes and workplaces were constructed out of tunnels that their ancestors carefully carved out of pillow fluff. (I had a very OLD pillow) If I laid very still at night and listened very carefully, I could hear them as they went about their lives. I had to be very careful not to sneeze or yawn too loudly, or they might think that all was not right in their world, some kind of natural disaster, and they would all stop what they were doing, get panicked looks on their faces, and run to "take cover," like we had to do at school during tornado drills. Any thoughtless little action on my part, could result in disaster for untold millions of innocent pillow people.


If that got dull, or I still couldn't sleep, I could roll over and watch the of head lights from cars passing on the street outside my bedroom window, shine across my bedroom walls. As my mind drifted, I developed a magic eight ball kind of system to calm my worries. Two cars in a row meant 'yes,' one car meant 'no,' a big rumbling truck meant 'maybe, ask again later.' Will tomorrow be sunny? Does my teacher like me? Does the dog know what I'm thinking? Will Santa bring me a Barbie town house? That's how little kids resolve the stressful issues in life. Everything is magical, there must be a meaning and purpose for everything in their lives. After all, the sun DOES rise and set just for them.


God, it's a wonder any of us ever grow up to become "normal adults." Of course, with stuff like that in our heads, why would we want to grow up at all ? Am I the only one who remembers bedtime games and thoughts like that ? Was I the only four year old insomniac? I can't believe that everyone else just went to bed, and went to sleep, like my boring little brother. Maybe, I'm the only 46 year old person who allows stuff like that to occupy space in my brain that would be better suited for grown up concerns ? (what ever those are . . .)


I don't know. All I know is that I only got 4 hours sleep this afternoon, and I'm feeling frazzled. I think I will go back to my bed, and this time, try to wake at a decent hour tomorrow.

Good night.


Love,

Susan


5 howled back:

Gypsy Jasmin said...

Wow! this was a cool post. Of course I played funny games too, but ultimately I think they made my brain work more. O-well, now I see where I get it though. However, I always sleep with my feet uncovered and I used to have to hang my feet off the bed. I still lie in bed and tell my body goodnight. I start with my toes, and wait until the sleepy, restful feeling comes to that part to move to the next. I know, weird.

Wait. What? said...

I totally was sure that something evil lived under my bed - if I had to be in my bedroom alone - I would leap off the bed - or leap on but never would i get so close that the evil could grab my ankle and pull me under!

This post brought back memories! I sure hope you got some sleep!

Cat

Anonymous said...

Oh, ,those fluffy little tiny people in your pillow were actually there! But, they weren't people, probably bed bugs!

LOL

I think we all had imaginations in overdrive when we were young... and at times I try to and keep mine alive, but i am not nearly as imaginative as I wish I was it seems.

sigh.

-C

Anonymous said...

First of all I love that photo of the little kid asleep like that in his parents bed! too funny.

Oh I did the hide the toes thing in my bed too - just in case someone was waiting for an opportunity to bite one off!

I hope you caught up on your sleep and natural rhythm and stuff...I hate feeling all out of whack! x

Auburn~haired~artist said...

Jas: I under stand telling your body parts good night, sort of, but hanging your bare feet off the edge of the bed is just crazy!!

Cat : Yup, there are all kinds of creepy things that live under a kid's bed - I've seen 'em.

Chris: Ewwwww!

Kate: If you give 'em a toe - they'll take a foot - that's a fact.