You Thought You Wouldn't Have to Pull Any More All-Nighters

Remember college?  Do you recall those delirious cram sessions you managed during exam week?  There was a time when I dreamily looked forward to the future when I would no longer need to pull an all-nighter.  I thought it would only be necessary to clock in and out of my day job and be rewarded with at least 9 hours of sleep every night- maybe more on the weekends.

HA! 

If you're a parent, you read the title to this post and laughed.  Not the funny, belly kind of laugh.  You snickered knowingly under your breath, because a mom with experience knows that all-nighters did not end in college. 

Please.

Babies are born in the wrong time zone and on the wrong work shift.  They sleep remarkably well when you don't need them to and wake up when you're ready to call it a day.  So you're suddenly required to become nocturnal and turn to the shopping channel for some p.m. comfort.

Also, the kids get sick...or you do.  I like to shut those "24 hour bug" memories from my mind, so we will just stop there.  It goes without saying that when anyone gets sick, it will probably take you two or three days to recover from your nurse duties.

And finally, if you ever purchase something from IKEA, it will come with fabulous, wordless instructions with all of the tools required, but you will stay up all night tightening bolts and screws.

I guess, as much as we hate losing a little shuteye, it's all worth it.
We love our kids.  And our couch.