Thursday, February 7, 2013

The Sleepover

"So, how do you like being on land?  It's pretty great, right?  And you completely love it, don't you?"

I close my bleary eyes and reach for my tea.  There is no tea.

I'll be right back.

Okay, now I have tea.  It is hot, caffeinated, and will hopefully get me through answering my chipper interrogator without hurting anyone.  Because the Papillon Crew does not sleep anymore.  None of us.

How do you land people ever sleep?  The bed doesn't move.  I know that's a funny statement from someone who gets motion sickness, but the gentle motion of the waves at anchor feels great.  And we all miss it.  When we reached Tonga after a twelve-day passage, the harbour was so calm that none of us slept.  All four of us ended up in the V-berth, wiggling for space and complaining about stray elbows.

This is worse.

Indy has always been a good sleeper.  Scratch that: she was a terrible sleeper when she was a baby.  But she normally falls asleep easily and stays that way until dawn.  Stylish has always been a night owl, and you can't get her out of bed in the morning without serious and concentrated effort.  But now, neither of them fall asleep.  This is a problem because they share a room.  Last night, there were whispers and giggles and fights and apologies and more whispers coming from their room at eight thirty.  Nine o'clock.  Nine thirty.  Ten o'clock.  At ten thirty I separated them, and put Indy to sleep in my room.  (Erik is working, which equals travelling, so there was space free.)  And that did the trick: by eleven they were both asleep.

But then, I had this.





Inevitably, both girls were cranky this morning.  Good luck to their teachers is all I can say.  I'm always cranky, so the difference is minimal.

I don't pack the kids full of sugar.  They get lots of exercise.  Goodness knows they deserve to be tired by bedtime, but they aren't.  I'm at a loss.  Help me, Obi Wan.

Score:  Papillon 1, Land 0.

5 comments:

Kate said...

Great pictures. Good luck adjusting to land. maybe it will take time.

Cranky kids are hard.

Anonymous said...

Amy, As you are well aware, I do not sleep well nor for long stretches of time. If fact the only time that I seem to be able to sleep is when visiting the boat; the rocking motion is like magic to me.

Hopefully they will adjust with time. Meanwhile, enjoy those sharp little elbow!
Love Mom

Anonymous said...

Gin. Try gin. Quarter ounze for the girls, ounce and a half for Amy. (You do the conversion to metric - I'm too old).

Uncle Doug

Amber said...

Hi Amy,
My husband just stumbled onto your blog and passed it onto me. I just read your last few posts and had to send you a note: I can't wait to read the rest of your story! Thanks in advance for sharing.
We live on an island in the Pacific and talk about sailing away when our kids are a little older, so I'm looking forward to reading about how it went for you.
I blog at www.thekwajbates.blogspot.com, if you want to check on me and make sure I'm not a crazy stalker :)
Oh, and sleep with kids- not if I can help it! It pretty much goes just the way you drew it in your post at our house too.
Cheers, Amber

Anonymous said...

Hi Papillion Crew from Ballinafad! Julia would like to know what grade Indy and Stylish are in now. Lots of snow here for Mom Papillion to go down the great hills on her tobaggan!! LOL

 
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