Definition: A parent hangover is exactly like an actual hangover only there is no alcohol involved and you don’t get to have any actual fun before it hits.
Normally I post my blogs earlier in the day. I’m late today because my husband and I are both experiencing the parent hangover – when your child spends most of the night awake either crying or high as a kite and you get about three hours sleep (if that) before the fun starts all over again.
There are probably literally hundreds of people all over the country waking up today with sore heads, facing the prospect of dragging themselves through the day, fuelled only by coffee and junk food. Well we are in the same boat. Yesterday, before the events of last night occurred, we smugly thought how nice it was not to be facing a hangover the next morning. Then 3am hit.
What follows was one of the longest nights of my life. Clock strikes 3 am and a certain tiny lady wakes. 3.15 am mama and tiny lady cuddle up in bed, tiny lady cries and cries. 3.45 am dada tries to help. 4 am one shattered mama administers nurofen in desperation. 4.10 am tiny lady starts singing and demanding stories. 4.30 am tiny lady is giggling, two exhausted parents are close to tears. 4.50 am tiny lady eventually collapses in a heap. 6 am parents finally doze. 6.55 am tiny lady wakes up. 7.10 tiny lady is back asleep, parents are awake for rest of the day.
This hellish night was followed by an even more hellish morning during which tiny lady refused to nap despite her eyes hanging out of her head. My husband and I have been taking coffee hits and stuffing ourselves with food in an attempt to keep going. When will this day end?
Oddly enough I still made myself get on the exercise bike this morning. I was in that weird haze that reminded me of my younger days when the alcohol is still in your system and your hangover is yet to hit; you feel amazing. But I should have known the crash wouldn’t be far behind. I am now burnt out, a shell but too hyped up to sleep. So to all you parents out there experiencing a parent hangover just try to get through the day and give the diet a rest; you’ll need the sugar to survive!
*Apologies for any grammatical or spelling errors – I am due another coffee hit any second.
(Mis) Adventures in Toddlerdom 