The Night-time Circus

So I have dubbed the nights at my house "The Circus".  It is a 2-ring act with alternating performances. See the showtimes below:

8pm: Start discussing bedtime with Jace.
 "Time to start calming down."
"NO! I don't wanna go ni-ni!" *a flurry of activity follows to prove that he isn't tired, including jumping, stomping, car racing, and the hokey-pokey. Logan eggs him on.*
"I'm not sleepy!"
"Let's get your jammies on."
"NO! I don't want jammies!"
“Do you want the car shirt or the train shirt?”
"I want a cookie"
"I want apple juice"
“You can have water.”
"I don't want water!"
(Jace’s words are in bold to emphasize the fact that he cannot speak softly. Ever.)

9pm: Logan is bawling.  Feed Logan. Put him to bed.  Tiptoe out of the bedroom and shut the door.  Ahh, one down, one to go.

9:15pm: Jace's laps up and down the hallway wake up Logan. (Think of the noise an adult hippopotamus would make if it ran inside your house.)   Look for Logan's paci. Move Logan's crib 4 feet to find the paci. Turn on Logan's music.  Hopefully Logan will go back to sleep.  Ahh, one down again.  Still one to go.

9:30pm: “Let’s brush your teeth.”
“I don’t wanna brush my teeth.”
"If you don't brush your teeth I will take away your cars."
"I want my cars!"
"Ok, brush your teeth."
"My do it."
How clean are the teeth?  I dunno.  We’ll see what the dentist says whenever I finally have time to take Jace to the dentist.

9:35pm: "Mama, it's dark out?"
"Yes, it's dark out." 
"I want it sunny out!"
"Well, if you sleep, it will get sunny." 
"You lay down with me?"
"Okay."

10:00pm: Mama and Jace asleep in Jace's twin bed.

1:00am: Mama wakes up and goes to Mama and Daddy's bed with a sore back from the twin bed.

1:05am: Apparently Logan has super hearing, and even though I QUIETLY tiptoed out of the kids’ room, Logan wakes up.  Logan comes in Mama & Daddy's bed.

3:00am: Mama wakes up.  Jace is sleeping in Mama & Daddy's bed with his leg draped over Logan.  No idea how he got there.  Put Logan back in his crib.  Leave Jace in our bed.

4:30am: Logan wakes up screaming his head off.  Try to find the paci.  It's behind his crib again. Move the crib, give him the paci, turn the music on, walk back to M & D's bed.  Still screaming. Get back out of bed. Logan comes back to M & D's bed. Logan eats.

5:00am: Put Logan back in his bed.

6:00am: Alarm goes off. Press snooze until 6:35am.

6:45am: Sneak out of the house so as not to wake up any children.

7:00am: Work starts.


And Jace didn't even wet the bed in that scenario.
I don't need sleep anymore.  I don't even feel tired today! (But don't try to cross me before I have had some coffee.)

People say that the baby years go by so fast.  This is because you don't sleep for the first 2 years of a child's life.  Basically, it is one long day that lasts a couple years with a few naps thrown in.  "All the live-long day" takes on a new meaning.

Embrace it!

**PS: thanks to my cousin for finding the humor in her night-time circus.  You helped me find the humor in mine.**