today was 'no sleep day'... wish someone had forewarned me

Today, none of my children would sleep. I'm hoping it wasn't due to heat as summer hasn't officially begun yet and it's obviously gonna get hotter, but yeah all 3 were awake pretty much all day. FUN! Apparantly there was a memo sent to all parents but I missed it. Little Miss was awake from 8ish this morning til well into the afternoon, cranky as all hell and only a poonami from head to toe seemed to relieve the situation. Missy Moo was falling asleep in her high chair at 10 this morning and crashed when I put her down at 11. I think she was woken up by the crying baby though and after an hours sleep she was awake, cranky and shirty with life and everyone in her path. Monkey Man, well he will tell me for hours he's not tired and needs 'no sleep' but generally crashes once put into bed. Today he told me he was ready for bed, and then proceeded to play in his cot for an hour, with no actual sleeping being done. Ironically both he and Missy Moo wanted up at the same time, and screamed blue murder until I got them up. Monkey Man then jumped on his chest of drawers, cracking the top of them, while I was trying to put his shoes on him. Yay, another expense to add to the ever growing pile that ironically seems to be worse at this time of year. Where is my festive spirit hiding this year???

By 1pm I was totally over today, and counting down the minutes til 7pm when today could be over and we could start again tomorrow. I tried to have a nanna nap on the lounge and copped trains, cars, phones and fingers in the face plus tag teaming toddlers pressing their face into mine. Sleep was abandoned. By late this afternoon I decided we should brave the heat, having spent most of the day inside in the air conditioned bliss, and try to exhaust them with water table and paddling pool fun. Next thing I hear a big crash and the baby gate has been ripped down by the toddlers... A serious attempt to escape from cranky Mummy?? Whatever the reason, we abandoned outside play plans and in the car they went. Off to Ronald's house so they could trash his joint rather than mine as if I have to vaccuum once more today, I'm going to scream... Happy meals all round, followed by icecream which was pretty much demanded the second the golden arches were in sight. And as a sidenote, is it still 14 and 9 mths you can get a job? How young do the 12 year old's working at maccas these days look?? Surely if they're 12 they should be at school and not working? Anyway, I digress...2x happy toddlers with grease and ice cream everywhere, half an hour of peace for me, so worth every bloody cent. Listening to other parents explain that no, we don't eat icecream first, that if the dinner wasn't eaten we'd go home without icecream, that the toy from their happy meal would go in the bin if they didn't behave.... well it was music to my ears to be truthful. Some might find it a stressful environment. I think, to put my kids in that environment with their own kind, well it made it easier to handle and made me realise I'm not alone. Other kids are like mine and other parents are like me. Sometimes you just need to know you're not alone on your journey, sometimes you just need to see someone elses child have a full body throw down tanty to feel so much better about your own... and sometimes you need your husband to come home early and put the kids to bed while you pass out on your own bed. Mind you I woke at 8.30pm, in the same position I'd gone to sleep in, fully dressed and quite confused as to how I got there seeing as the last thing I remember was tickling my kids before they went to bed?? The phone rang next to my head, I heard nothing. Clearly I was/am tired and on that note, I'm off to bed for hopefully a decent nights sleep - stopping on the way for cuddles with Little Miss of course.