My Poor Back - A Rant

Well I have to admit that the run of disturbed nights, lack of sleep and poorly children really is starting to take it's toll.
It is my poor back that is taking the brunt end of it!
9 years ago I had an accident that resulted in me fracturing the lumbar section of my back which was fused together with metal work. I count myself extremely lucky that I can walk at all. At one point during my hospital recovery I was given 50/50 odds of recovering. I do not suffer much with my back but I do take care.
Well most of the time I do anyway!
I tend to forget that I even had my accident. That's how normal my back feels.
However if I lift something or someone in an awkward way or sleep in the wrong position I can easily pull it or aches can develop.
This happened a couple of weeks ago. I got over it but then we had our first night in the first caravan on holiday. In the first bed we could feel each and every spring in the non existent mattress. This was destined to cause me problems. It would cause anyone problems it was that bad!
I did spend the week taking pain killers to dull the ache. But I was so thankful that we had moved to a better caravan which had a bed that was 100 times better.
The aches were starting to get better come the end of our holiday.
Then the bug struck!
We have had a run of 2 weeks now of disturbed nights and co-sleeping happening most nights.
I find when we have either twin in with us I end up balancing on the edge of the bed so that they have room and to keep them away from hubby so that he gets a good nights sleep. He is the one that needs to drive to work in the morning and do a full days work which includes a lot of driving so he needs to have enough sleep. Whereas I can manage with the lack of sleep. If I am honest I think that I have just got used to disturbed nights. Since the twins were born we have not had many full nights. We have had a couple of good runs where we have had 2 or 3 weeks where they have both slept through. But on a normal night if it's not one waking it's the other. Hence calling them our tag team! Thankfully, they do take it in turns.
We'll get there, I know sleep will return, one day!
Anyway, as I was saying, balancing on the edge of the bed has certainly not helped my back. Along with shovelling wet heavy hay when I  clean the chickens out!
Tonight I am just feeling a bit sorry for myself.
I'm tired, my back hurts and I wanted a good moan!
So, sorry for the rant, as I've said before I often see my blog as a counsellor!
Sleep is beckoning me as I type and a good nights sleep is definitely what I need.
Whether I'll get it is a different matter completely!
Tomorrow is a busy baking day!
As it is bonfire night hubby has asked for some traditional bonfire food. Therefore I am trying 2 new things. I am going to have a go at making cider toffee and bake a Yorkshire parkin cake!
So I will be busy as I also need to bake bread as well as the school run, tend to the chickens, look after and play with the twins, do some ironing while they sleep, do some laundry, prepare lunch, collect Joseph and cook tea!
Busy, busy, busy, but hey that's my life and I wouldn't change it for the world!
Ok, I'd love more sleep but we can't have it all!
Good night.

Family Values

I am a firm believer in having a good routine.
I truly believe that having a good routine in place gives a good foundation for children and it gives them structure in life.
I simply cannot understand how parents function without one. For example, bedtimes, our children have their set bedtimes. We take the twins up to bed at around 6:30 they have their milk upstairs and then its sleep. Joseph goes up on a school night at 8 and can read or draw until 8:30. At the moment, as it is the school holidays, he is going up between 8 and 8:30 and can read or draw until 9. As a family we need that structure as me and the hubby get some time together. I believe that when you have children, with all the focus on them, you can sometimes forget to make time for each other. This is the one thing that we do not want to do so having the children in a routine allows us to have this time together.
Sometimes I honestly believe that some people want to have children but still live a "childless" life ie doing what they want without thinking about supervision and stability for their children. It is sad that this is the sort of world that we live in.
We, as a couple, have what might be seen as old fashioned family values and I am so proud of this. We believe that children should be children. Once you have children your life revolves around what is best for our children and family. What we want comes second to what the children need. Most importantly we want our children to grow up happy, knowing right from wrong and with respect for others.
Its just a shame others don't feel that way.
Rant over x