We have not been getting much sleep here, what with all the nighttime animal activity. Animal problem 1) The large rodent family (or colony) in our attic. I first thought it was a possum because of the weight of the tromping in the attic, which indicated something bigger than a mouse rat or squirrel, and the sliding and skittering sounds of a large tail *shudder*. The pest guy confirmed this by inspecting the fecal evidence. But last night, I started hearing this chirping and chittering noise that I think is a raccoon. Or raccoons. Baby raccoons, actually. Maybe it's possums and raccoons, living happily together. Jason suggested those bastards are just up there talking about "The Wire."
Animal problem 2) Clifford, who is terrified of thunderstorms. His shuffling and whimpering woke us up last night, and he would not calm down until I lay on the ground spooning him, which is pretty much how we slept until we were awakened by...
Animal problem 3) Milo, who gets out of bed, comes in our room and stage whispers, "DAD!" until we let him get in bed with us. Whereupon he kicks and thrashes and asks every two minutes for breakfast, television and if it's wake-up time? Which it ISN'T. Except for the part where we are all awake.
To recap...
What I am hearing at night: Tromp. Slide. Skitter. Chirp. Chitter. Shuffle. Whimper. DAD!
What I am not hearing: the snuffles and snores of my husband and children. The nighttime whir of my own anxieties. I never thought I'd miss them.