There is a world of difference between a time when most people are still awake and the dead of night.

During the first week of my blog, I wrote about feeling like a second class citizen in my own home. (12/13/11, Ma'am, Your Seat is in the Back)  There are some days that I think that I sounded like a big bitch baby.  But then there are nights like a couple of nights ago.  As Ching was going to bed on Thursday after being away for a few nights, I explained that Laurel had slept on his side (of the bed).  She wanted to make sure that I wasn't lonely.  I told him that I was pretty sure that she would show up on my side during the night but he assured me that he would get up, go to the den and sleep in the guest bed.  I could remain undisturbed.  Sounds nice now but there is a world of difference between a time when most people are still awake and the dead of night.

Sure as shit, at 12:17, Laurel was on my side (of the bed) looking to get in.  Trying to get Ching to keep his word, I do that "yell whisper" to get him up and into the den.  I can't wake him up (and I hope to God for his sake that he isn't faking) so I get up and go into the den.  Ching remains undisturbed and Laurel takes my side.

I crawl into bed (in the den) and hope for 5.5 hours of undisturbed sleep.  But nope, it's gets better.  At 3:00, I hear Rachel mewing.  Usually she goes right back to sleep but tonight, she does not.  There is something about a crying toddler in the middle of the night.  I am sure there are parents like me that go into their child's room, not to help them try to get back to sleep on their own but just to get them back to sleep.  If that means picking them up and taking them back to bed, then so be it.  After some whining she specifically calls for me and says, "cuddle, cuddle".  Oh crap.  So I get her and take her back to the bed that I am sleeping in which, again, is in the den.  Very clearly, she says no.  She wants her dad.  I tell her no, she can cuddle, cuddle with me.  "Pllleeeeezze?" she asks.  Rachel just got me to come get her to bring her to her dad.  Well, who looks like an idiot now?  So I bring her to Ching and HE SITS UP because apparently he has heard the whole thing but remained in bed.

While I should think that it's a precious site of Rachel in the middle cuddled up to Laurel and Ching, I don't.  I am annoyed.  One kid kicks me out of my side and the other treats me like her little bitch...luring me in to get her and then demanding her daddy.   If I had the stones, I would leave right then and there and go to the Four Seasons.  But I don't...in a few hours, I am up making those lunches.

Mother's Day is 50 days away.  And God help me, I am going to milk it for every ounce that it's worth.