The enigma of sleep.....

It would seem that in our house there have always been some issues surrounding sleep...Danielle slept in 2 - 3 hour shifts for the first 2 years of her life and Kaye didn't sleep through the night until she was 4 years old. She often awoke in the early hours to get up and ride her tricycle around the lounge, in the dark!! Karl would sleep any illness off from a very early age, taking to his bed and staying there until he felt better. Daniel loved his bouncer swing that hung from the door way and I felt guilty every time I turned away only to turn back to see him dangling there, blonde head lolling to one side..fast asleep!!

Andy and I both managed on very little sleep for years due to kids, bands, working shifts and general partying. Andy worked night shifts for many years and during this time he often had to have the children during the day when I was in work and they were off school. Kaye particularly remembers a day when he took them to the park in Derwen Fawr and she was on the zip line, squealing about how clever she was, when she eventually got the hang of it. She excitedly called out 'did you see me Daddy?' to the seated figure in sunglasses on the bench...no response came back so she went over to find him snoozing away behind his dark glasses, Kaye being Kaye she slapped his leg to wake him up, which it did with a bit of a start. 

Not too long after that we took Karl.,Kaye & Daniel to The Grand Theatre to see 'Pinnochio' we sat in the front row of seats for a better view. Andy had done a night shift and this was the afternoon matinee. During a bit where Mr Fox is leading Pinnochio astray he addressed the audience for some participation. In the middle of it all he held up his hand and stopped the performance. His finger pointing directly at Andy he said in a very loud stage whisper..'Look at him..he's asleep, WAKE UP!' The whole room erupted into peals of laughter and roars of 'WAKE UP'  much to the embarrassment of the children and I. Andy woke with a start and tried to sink lower in his seat but he was a marked man and us too by association!! Oh the shame at the interval as went to get ice cream and every one giggled as we passed, the whispers of 'that's him isn't it?' were almost too much for Andy to bear.

The kids have never forgotten it, nor have I and I know it is not one of Andy's fondest memories but it is often the subject of hilarity around the dinner table.

Speaking of dinner tables, during a particularly difficult time when the children were young I worked 4 jobs, cycling 112miles a week within a 3mile radius!! Working 7 days a week I was often exhausted and the children would wait in hushed silence as I nodded off at the dinner table..just waiting for the moment my face actually went into the food on the plate and on the odd occasion it did the screams of laughter could be heard as far as Pennard. I always thought it a strange thing when my parents and grand parents fell asleep on Sunday afternoon after a large roast dinner. My Dad and Grandad covered with a broadsheet newspaper in their respective chairs, the paper would flutter slightly every time they breathed out. My grand mother snored, not an offensive loud snore, more like the sort of snore a doormouse would have, if a doormouse was to snore that is! My Mother would sit dozing but somehow still aware of what was going on around her and my sister and I thought it was some kind of voodoo that she knew immediately we were up to no good, looking at us with the immortal words,'I was just resting my eyes, I was not asleep'.....I now sometimes succumb to an evening snooze but mine of course is a power nap....naturally!