Sleepwalking

I was watching the news last night, enjoying Peanut butter swirl ice cream (sometimes, yes, I do crave other flavors besides Friendly's Wattamelon Role), when I heard somebody coming downstairs. I head into the kitchen, and identify which child is standing in the hallway on the way. As I put things away, I hear a faint sound similar to running water, and go to Joey, who is still standing in the hallway. "What are you doing up?" Nothing. "Joey, what do you need?" Still nothing. I crouch down to his level, wait for a response and he stands there and continues to ignore me. "Joey, what do you want?" And finally, he responds.

He starts to giggle. I'm bewildered. Laughing? "What's so funny?" I ask him. He just giggles again.

Well. I'm tired. I don't feel like playing his game, whatever it is. I stand up, step back and step in...., something. A spill, I think. I turn the hall light on and Joey goes to the sofa in the living room and lies down. "Joey, did you just pee?" No answer, of course.

I get a towel, clean up the puddle, toss the towel aside to be laundered the next day. I go to Joey, who is feigning sleep. His shorts and shirt are wet. "Joey, you need to get up so I can change you. Why did you pee in the hallway?" He barely opens his eyes. I go upstairs, get a change of clothes, return to change him and he doesn't protest. I toss his clothes on top of the soiled towel. "Okay, Joey. Head back upstairs to bed."

And he obedliently gets up, walks back upstairs, and goes back to bed.

And it dawns on me that he would have certainly gone to the bathroom upstairs rather than come downstairs if he had to go. He never really acknowledged me. Joey was sleepwalking. When I question him the next evening, he doesn't remember anything.

So I have one who walks in his sleep and one who yells and fights with his brothers in his sleep.

And you wonder why I'm always tired and irritable from lack of sleep.