Sleeplessness

Lately Rachel has been worrying us by waking up in the middle of night and saying she can't get back to sleep. Earlier this week she said she had tried everything -- "reading, telling my stuffed animals stories, doing math problems in my head," -- but nothing worked. So, she and Drew did some math problems together and that seemed to tire her out. (Drew says she is already doing first-grade math).

Last night we were getting ready to close up the downstairs when...who did we see...but Rachel! She had snuck downstairs onto the couch and was curled up in the "Lil Blanket," the cozy throw that Mammaw bought us for Christmas and that is wrapped around my legs as I write this. Rachel had complained that she couldn't sleep in her own bed, and Drew told her firmly that she COULD NOT fall asleep on the couch and took her upstairs. (She had taken a short nap earlier in the day, which is probably why she had trouble falling asleep).

Drew and I are so concerned about this that we've decided we absolutely must move her bedtime earlier (problem is, we have so much fun playing around with her that we tend to let the bedtime process drag on far too long). So tonight, Drew made dinner at 7, they went upstairs for books and bath at 8:10, and she was in bed by 9:10. Still a little too late for my taste but better than 9:30 or 10(!!) p.m. bedtimes that is our norm.