The goings-on after dark

Sleep time is pitiful in the Layton household. I have been permanently tired for approximately 3 1/2 years. Super. My kids hate sleeping's guts. They just do. So nighttime is always an adventure. Add to this my self-diagnosed sleeping disorder and you have a recipe for one exhausting, weird and sometimes creepy night. My sleep disorder- Night Terrors. Description from sleepeducation.com:

In a typical episode, you will sit up in bed and pierce the night with a "blood-curdling" scream or shout. This scream can include kicking and thrashing. You may say or shout things that others are unable to understand. You will also have a look of intense fear with eyes wide open and heart racing. You may also sweat, breathe heavily and be very tense. At times, you may even bolt out of bed and run around the house. This response is more common in adults. It may also lead to violent actions.

That's right folks- blood curdling screaming. Kicking. Thrashing. No sweating and I hope no heavy breathing but I have been known to run about the house. Oh, and since I'm feeling extra dramatic I'll go ahead and add this last part although I don't think it's this serious:

Serious and even deadly injury can occur. Attempts to escape from bed or to fight can result in harm to the patient or others. Individuals may be embarrassed by the sleep terrors. This can greatly affect their relationships with others.

There have been some definite "attempts to escape from bed or to fight" but I don't think it's affected my relationship with Chris. Well maybe a little. I'm not even kidding about these sleep terrors though- Anyhow, ever since Chris and I stayed in my parent's basement, which I'm convinced is haunted (sorry mom but I'm pretty sure it is), I have had these night terrors. It happens every couple of weeks and it is wretched. I usually sleep with the light on now and one eye open. It has made me EXTREMELY jumpy at night because I'm pretty much terrified from the time I go to bed until Crew wakes me up. At Five O'clock. So the other night I am asleep and sense a presence next to my bed. I open my eye and there is a creature just standing there. I scream bloody murder, jump onto Chris' back and point. I'm sure Chris thought it was another one of my "episodes" until he saw it too. Then he proceeded to FLING his pillow at it and shout "WHAT IS THAT!!???" Turns out it was Elizabeth. The pillow hit her in the face and once she started fussing we realized it was her. Chris and I then calmed down and I pulled her into bed with me. I think she was too tired to realize what was going on and the pillow must not have hit her very hard. Plus, that's what she gets for being creepy. Who stands by their parent's bed and just stares? And at least now I know what Chris will do when we think we're being attacked. Just another wild Layton night. I have a million of these stories. All I want is a normal 8 hours of sleep.

And now I'm blogging

After months of putting it off I have finally succumbed to the temptation of blogging. I absolutely refused for a long time because it's just too much pressure to be interesting!! I have nothing to say that I think people will actually want to read. But then I realized that my kids are hysterical and crazy and why should I deprive the world of their awesomeness? So- I will hold out no more. I have arrived in the blogging world...now what? Feeling awkward.