Being a bad mom backfires

When Ruby wakes up at night I run into the room that she shares with Ethan, feel around in her crib for the binky and pop it into her mouth. She usually falls right back asleep, but she does this a few times each night until about 4 a.m., when I feed her and put her back in bed. My nights aren't sleepless, but they are not exactly serene either. When morning appears I am the undead, staggering around with my eyes half open. Or I am lying in bed with a 3-year-old yanking on my hand and begging me to wake up and get him some cereal. (Oh, it sounds so sad when I write it.)

"Go get Mack and bring him in here," I say, hoping to prolongue my slumber. He comes back with his little red semi-truck and I tell him to find something other toy to bring to me and buy me a few extra minutes with my eyes closed.

I thought I had him fooled for a while, but he got sick of that real fast and won't leave anymore until I fall out of bed, crawl to the kitchen and pour him a bowl of milk and Cheerios. And now, it seems, he is using my little tricks against me.

As I stopped at a red light today on our way to a playdate, I looked back to see Ethan's head rolled to the side of his carseat, his eyes closed.

"Ethan, don't fall asleep! We are almost there," I begged.

His eyes popped open and he straightened his neck, then his body fell slack again and he replied, "Go ahead and find a parking spot and then I will wake up."