tiredness...

I don't know how many people have experienced the tiredness that I feel. It is not an, "oh is that all" symptom of pregnancy. Let me describe it to those who may not have felt it before, and for those of you who have I am so glad that we are on the same page and can relate!

I wake up around 7 am with my three lovely children feeling like I am awake for the day and my body couldn't possibly have let me sleep longer, but feeling tired enough all ready to have slept hours longer. Making it through the first few hours of the day isn't too difficult, this is when most of my energy is there and I use it...this past week for example, I did aerobics at 9 am for an hour three times this week, did playgroup, went to the library, volunteered at Alona's school, taught Abbi a few different lessons: Painted the letter F with finger paints, found things around the house that started with F, colored pictures of some of those things, talked about fish, make fish stick puppets and sang fishies in the deep blue sea, talked about the number four and the four major food groups, wrote them down drew pictures on a chart and made a mobile with one thing from each of those food groups. I use my energy wisely from the mornings, but I feel that even if I did not have this energy I would feel the same as I do now every day after lunch.

I feel like I can sleep for hours, I am not interactive, my brain does not function. I have no choice but to keep functioning. My children do not take naps, if I lie down and attempt to regenerate my children color on walls, make a mess of the Entire house, etc. I struggle to stay conscious and keep an eye on them even though there is no way that I can do things with them at this point. My patience is something that I also syruggle greatly with when I feel this tired. I am glad that it is getting warmer, I beg them to play outside while I watch from the window. I last until four o'clock with watching them and doing small things or letting them have a cartoon or two and then have to get up and moving. I go for walks or do something to keep going this is something that I can do that does not require me to be all there with them. There is no way that I can be excited about playing a game, drawing or being creative. Even reading is a challenge with how much my body says to Sleep! I go through the motions of getting dinner ready and on the table, for I know that I NEED to feed my children. It is there, it is on the table! And they don't eat it...so off we go to get pajamas on where Kacen fights every step of the way because he is almost as tired as his mommy is. Because while his mommy was pulling the wagon on the walk, he fell asleep for 15 minutes.
And then I let them rinse their own toothbrushes, here goes more energy that I don't have... are you ready for this while I was letting them wash their own toothbrushes out Kacen and Abbi decided that it would be a good idea to comb his hair with toilet water. Here goes another washing for him! Oh no, and they used my hair brush!

My house is a mess to say the least. My muscles and ability to be motivated and keep my mind awake enough for the task at hand is impossible. I am able to get the children in bed and leave the messy house for the morning.
I know that some symptoms of pregnancy can be much worse. But being tired while pregnant (and after the baby comes)takes on a whole new meaning especially when you have three children, none of which take naps or get along when you leave them to their own devices, are doing all household things by yourself and have no family around. Being tired is more than just tired, your body is creating a new life and your body is worn out half way through the day. It made me a little sad and defensive when I heard, "oh is that all".