Wednesday, September 11, 2013

They (Sleep)Walk Among Us.

Identical twinning is a true marvel of science.

It really is.

Sometimes I find myself staring at them in wonderment at the completely random things about them that are exactly the same, or opposite since they are known as Mirror Twins.

The list can be almost daunting to reflect on, seriously.

Even though their shared genetic makeup is always and ever at the back of my mind, there are still times when some little quirk, multiplied from one to the other, will throw me for a loop.

Like, sleepwalking, for example.

I can honestly never say I thought we'd have to deal with times two. But apparently...I was mistaken in my ignorance.

Last week Caedance had fitful nights of sleepwalking. Her first ever. The first time she ran out of her bedroom at midnight, heading for the stairwell and towards the stairs.

For what? To where? Who knows.

The second time she was in a sleeping bag, sound asleep. At 2am she bolted up, grabbed her sleeping bag, pillow, and blanket, and headed off upstairs.

Each time, I gently shepherded my sleeping lamb back to her correct coral, tucking her back in once more.

When she slept fully through the third night, I thought the cycle had been broken and we could rest well at last.

Until the fifth night, when Ashlyn started to sleepwalk.

Her foray into the world of nocturnal travelling also began with a midnight trip to the top of the stairs. Where she sat, for no apparent reason, and with little desire to be led back into her own bed.

Her second journey brought her downstairs while Dan and I were finishing up a Prime Time show. (I'm only slightly ashamed to say that it was Pretty Little Liars; a guilty pleasure for us.) I heard a noise, looked over, and there she came, skipping (literally) into the family room. And towards the door leading to the garage. And outside. Alone.

Another two nights spent gently ushering a sleeping child back into the safety of her bedroom and tucked back into her bed. Safe.

Another two nights of what cannot be called restful sleep for the mama in our little family. How am I supposed to sleep when I know that one of them may be off exploring somewhere, completely unaware that she's even doing it? I challenge any parent to really sleep through that questionable thought.

We've been Sleepwalk Free for several nights now, and I'm cautiously hopeful that their strange little cycle was just a short phase, and is over now. Passed through. Done.

I hope.

The inner workings of their minds remain very unknown to me, but this was one episode that I can most certainly do without. Adventures In Twin Parenting needs to take a rest at night, you know? Our days are filled with enough adventure; let's keep night-time a little more calm.



No comments:

Post a Comment