Beware the Ides of March

I should have seen it coming. I should have known. Shakespeare warned me. "Beware the Ides of March."

My day started a little after 2:00 am when Alyssa insisted on coming to bed with us. Surprisingly, she went back to sleep after a few minutes instead of playing like usual. Just after 4:00 am, Leighton's alarm went off. Instantly, Alyssa wakes up and says, "Mommy, loud." The alarm continues to go off. "Mommy, loud." Leighton, on the other hand, is sleeping through it all. I hit him. He hits snooze. Seven minutes later the scene repeats itself. And again. And again. It's a little ironic that the only person who is supposed to be awake at this point is the only one still sleeping.

For the next 2 1/2 hours, Alyssa is wide awake. Playing, laughing, singing. She gets up to go potty. Five times. Maybe six. I lost count. She wants to eat. She wants to go back to her bed. She wants to come back to ours. She wants to watch TV. She wants to do everything but sleep. She did cuddle with me for a little bit before she told me, "Mommy, room. Move." How is it that one tiny child can completely fill a king size bed?

Eventually, I took her back to her own bed, turned on her music, and listened to her cry for maybe 20 seconds. Silence. Ah, wonderful sleep. An hour later Jake's up. Apparently, sleep is overrated.

Even after Will's warning, even after the morning's escapades, I did not foresee the coming day. Things like Zac wetting through his clothes, Zac pooping through his clothes and all his bedding, Zac spitting up on everything and everybody, Alyssa refusing to obey all day, Jake antagonizing his sister all day, amongst many others were not on my agenda. Next time, I'll be prepared. March 15, 2011, I'll be ready for you.