E is for exhausted (and energized?)

By Published On: July 9th, 2012

Written by: Hillary Grigonis July 08 2012 Exhausted just isn't […]

Written by: Hillary Grigonis

Exhausted just isn't even close to the right word. Because at the same time my energy gauge is running near E, all this new nesting instinct is kicking in; and even when I finally do head to bed, a long to-do list is keeping me awake. I'm beginning to think my gas gauge goes from full to E for Exhausted Energy. Quite an oxymoron, I know.

The first day that we were able to get into our new house and start cleaning and prepping the walls for painting, I quickly ran out of energy. That night, I headed to bed early with a book, intent on reading until I was too drowsy to stay awake and sleeping long and hard. Instead, I'm not even sure I slept at all.

Once I put the book aside, my mind was running through the do-to list, in between three trips to the bathroom in one hour, since Baby decided to scrunch up in the lowest portion of his living quarters and play King of the Hill on my bladder. When I wasn't running through the list or to the toilet, I was day dreaming (is it still called day dreaming when it happens at night while you are still awake?) about all our plans for the house and how everything would look finished.

When my mind finally seemed to wind down enough to doze off, Trouble started his 30 minute Tae Bo routine. And, I might as well face it, it's too cool of a sensation to fall asleep while he's kicking. I finally gave up trying to get any more sleep about an hour before my alarm was supposed to go off.

People keep telling me to take it easy, take my time and enjoy the new house—and it isn't that I don't want to do just that or think that's bad advice, I just can't. After moving over almost the entire contents of the garage (ok, my husband did the heavy lifting and I packed anything I thought was 20 pounds or less, doctor's orders) in 90+ degree heat, over an hour in the hardware store picking up paint and supplies, and a few hours of cleaning windows and blinds and throwing out left-behind trash, I figured sleep would come easy. I was wrong.

I'm not sure if it’s nesting energy that's keeping me awake, or just the general excitement of owning and decorating our first home, where we will make many memories with our soon-to-arrive son. Whatever it is, I hope I can get enough rest to make it through a week of painting and moving.