Human Origami

I am a mother.

I have four awesome, wonderful children, and for most of the time I am parenting by myself as my husband works away. This means I have become very skilled at multi-tasking. I can cook spaghetti while I check homework and stitch a button back onto a school uniform. I can breastfeed a baby while I chase a toddler down the hallway, stopping momentarily to throw a load of clothes into the washing machine. I can vacuum, recite favourite recipes and de-flea the dog all at the same time. I have become an expert at cooking in bulk and freezing, I am studying (and passing) my nursing degree and still managed to squeeze in a few minutes of chat time with hubby ...sometimes.

I am also proficient in human origami, when several bodies attempt to share one small space and end up wrapped up like...

Night before last, in my bed it was like a crazy school roll call, with me, small child, dog, big cat and kitten. 

As you might imagine it was cramped. It was also a ridiculously long, sleepless night for me and yet 'Mother Martyr' persevered. After all, the child was feeling scared and unhappy in her bed, Dog is used to jumping on the bed at night, big cat is doing so well to tolerate the kitten so close and little kitten is so cute - how could I say no?? But I needed to sleep and no-one seemed to care that I was uncomfortable and clinging to the side of the bed. GRRRR, why do cats have that uncanny knack of selecting the very centre of the bed?

We rolled out of bed at 6.30 am and got going for the day, and all day - I mean ALL day- I have whined about being tired. "Such a terrible nights sleep",  "I'm exhausted", "Well at least you got some sleep last night...."

Then I visited a friend of mine, my reality friend - I hope you have one. She tells me the truth even when it is soooo not what I want to hear, and doesn't allow me to get away with much.

I started my whinge ( and by now I had tale of woe well worded, having practiced it a number of times) and she stopped me. 

She asked me if I knew the bed was too cramped at 11pm. "Yes." 

Did I toss and turn and know I was going to be overtired today. "Hmmm Yes." 

Was there an empty bed I could have gone to, or could I have removed all furry critters? "Ummm Yes". 

Then she delivered the killer punch. "So you chose to spend the night like that, just so you could whine today about being tired. Stop the pity party, you did this to yourself."

It stung a bit, but I knew she was right. I could have moved, or moved the little child, or kicked one or all the animals off the bed. I chose to stay in the cramped bed, and I knew I was also choosing  to be tired. Even writing this now, it seems so silly to have allowed myself to have a sleepness night because I didn't want to disturb a cat. 

As I left her house my friend hugged me and said " If you don't take care of you, how can you expect anyone else to." 

So last night, I declared my bedroom no-go zone ( remember hubby works away- he would have been given an access pass LOL). Small child slept in her own bed, after stories and reassurance. Dog slept in her own bed ( yes she does have one), big cat curled up on the couch and kitten slept... well I don't know where but it wasn't with me.

And this morning ...I feel awesome!!!

Gonna do my best to stop the pity party events.

Have a fantastic day

much love

Lisa

xxx