A Touch Of Tyrell

Yesterday, we flew home from a somewhat unexpected trip to Colorado. My mom and step dad had some flyer miles that needed a little attention... so they flew Ev and I down for a week. We left WA on a super sunny Wednesday morning.... it was the first sunny day in a VERY long time. The first flight was a 2 hour flight from Seattle to Denver. We sat next to two young boys from a foreign culture. They both asked if my wiggly, wild Everett was a girl, each of them at separate times, along with one of the flight attendants. Everett was wearing a brown onesie with brown and green striped pants. But whatever. The little boy sitting right next to me would get so mad whenever Everett touched his armrest, looked at him or made any sort of contact with him. "Is it a she?" "He's toughing me. Can you tell him to stop touching me?" "Can he talk?" "What's his name?" "What's your name?" "Why is he looking at me? Can you tell him to sto...

Friday night I slept like a comedian. Yeah, it was a joke. I was pretty excited to be able to sleep all night... no such luck. I don't think I even went to sleep until 4 a.m. and then Jake's alarm clock went off at 6. I look forward to the day when I can fall asleep when I get into bed. Saturday morning we went out to see the Puget Sound/Hood Canal. Cold. Foggy. Beautiful. (A little white souvineer for Everett) We picked up Everett from his grandparents and we think he got his first little cold from his 8 year old cousin that was there (Elementary school germs). Last night he was hotter than a wood burning stove and he cried all night. He just wanted us to hold him all night... at least we know he loves us! And we love him, even if he is a sleep robber. Either way, it was a good weekend.

We sat next to a nice man. A Canadian. He was in Seattle on business and was headed home to spend the holiday with his wife and two sons, Nicholas 8 and Matthew 5. Did you know that Canada celebrates Thanksgiving the second week in October? When I told Effie (my 14 year old sister) she says "well yeah. Their settlers got there at a different time." I felt dumb. I forgot the original reason of Thanksgiving. Ev dawg did good on the flight. He only became unmanageable when he was about to die of starvation. Luckily the grandma of 3 across the aisle came to our rescue. Ev was a rebel and jumped on my lap for most of the 2.3 hour flight. In Denver, cowgirls, business men, and babies all boarded a small aircraft to make the 40 minute flight to Durango. Little mister slept the whole time. It was a dream. I had a window seat. I stared down onto God's great creation. The gold Aspen trees, shimmering lakes, and snow capped mountains told us that we were in Colorado. You know, whe...

I tried falling asleep again but I failed myself. Jake came out into the living room at 6:30 and asked if I was okay. I said "yep I just can't sleep though." "Well, I'm going back to bed. Can you wake me up in half an hour?" I am glad my services as an alarm clock can be rendered! I woke Jake up at 7 and then went to see what Everett was up to. And this is what I saw: I was dying of laughter when he did this next one... He was totally awake just kicking away. I have a feeling he likes it and does it on purpose. When I put him down for his morning nap, he did the exact same thing. He turned himself and kept busy kicking his crib. He is sitting on my lap as I type this and he is kicking the desk and pushing our chair backwards. Who knew babies could be this strong!

I am Tyrell B. Berner. I have insomnia... and a baby. What a winning combination. I was pretty sure Everett had insomnia too. But I read a book called Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child and he'll be fine. So I am alone in this battle. I've asked Jake how he falls asleep so fast and easy. He says "I just stop thinking and roll my eyes in the back of my head." Hmmm... With the help of Dr. Weissbluth and a little white noise Everett has been sleeping 12 hours (usually straight) at night. This would be total bliss if I wasn't president of Insomniacs Anonymous. (Perhaps I should start praying to sleep way better than last night ). I tried a little white noise of my own and this is one account of how it didn't work: We took a short walk last night. Jake held Everett in his arm as we walked down the hill towards the mail boxes. Everett was busy looking up at he sky, to the trees, then back to the sky. Jake was telling Everett how much he loved him but if there was on...

It has been warm lately. I love it. Its like that feeling on a cold winter day when your bones are cold and your mom dumps a load of fresh-out-of-the-dryer towels on you. I have been waiting for this warmth and it is finally here. After my power washing escapade on Saturday, we went to Alder lake. Jake's parents were headed up there with a canoe so we just invited ourselves. Everett sure liked it! Our house is like a magnifying glass with the sun and its been like an oven inside. Sometimes its actually cooler outside than in... (but it's so nice in the winter). I slept like a baby last night. Literally. It's been happening a lot lately. I haven't been able to fall asleep or stay asleep....my mind stays busy singing songs like "do do do do do inspector gadget, do do do da dooo" Its madness and I can't quiet my mind. The real kicker is that for the past few nights Everett has been sleeping like I should be. 7, 6, then 8 hours. I think my inability to sleep c...

"What cha thinkin about" Jake knew I wasn't sleeping. But I sure was thinking. Thinking about what used to be. How we used to pay 1/3 the money in rent that we pay now, how I used to work from 7:45 am to 2 p.m. and wished I had a better job, how working a "late night" for Jake used to mean he was home by 6, how I thought getting up for seminary in the morning was hard, how I used to cook dinner every night.... The times were so good. Now we pay 3x the amount of rent we used to pay, I work 24 hours a day, working a late night for Jake means he is home between 8:30 and 11, how getting up at any time throughout the night is hard, how I can't wait until my family is here to visit so we can have real dinner food.... I told him all things on my mind and we just smiled at what used to be. It was beautiful. But now the times are much more beautiful....and adorable:

When Jake and I were dating, we were pretty much inseparable....I don't think that there was a night in the summer of 2006 that we went to bed before 2 or 3 a.m. We stayed up as long as we could because we were young, in love, and couldn't get enough of each other. It wasn't until we were married that we got a full nights rest, and even then, trying to sleep in the same bed with someone was a new thing. Someone snoring, stealing your covers, and just the weight of someone on the mattress next to you was new. But over the last three years , we have learned to deal with it. Then yesterday on my way into work, the only clean station on the radio was talking about how it is more beneficial for couples to sleep in separate beds than in the same. First reaction was... you're kidding me. Why would I choose to sleep in a different bed....no one to snuggle up to and keep me warm? Then Dr. Sleep busts out the facts that couples have more interrupted sleep and what not when they...