They started at 3:36 to be exact.

Did you know that there were thunder storms last night? They started at 3:36 to be exact.

My night started with the kids going to bed. I tucked them in, hugs and kisses; I love you’s all around and left their bedroom. A few minutes later William is out of bed, needing a drink, then a hug and a kiss and I send him back to his room with an

Me: I love you now GET YOUR BUTT IN BED, and don’t come back out.
W: ok, I love you; see you in the middle of the night
Me: Oh no he did not just say that (I was talking to Ed)
W: (laughing) walks back to his room and gets in bed

Sure enough some where in the 3:00 (AM) hour William showed up in my arms. We were both awakened at 3:37 by good old Bailey jumping on us, shaking and drooling all over us.

I got up quickly thinking, the vet’s new idea isn’t working either. The Dr. told me to try dosing him a few times instead of just once hoping the pills would work the whole time it stormed. I had given him pills during the day because it was supposed to storm all day yesterday but they didn’t seem to be working now. I got his leash and put it on him and gave him a pill. We put the leash on during the storms then either chain him to the foot of our bed or if I’m in the kid’s room I wrap it around my arm so he can’t leave me. Not a rumble of thunder all day! Now at 3:37 AM it decides to storm??? Just my luck.

So I tell William to go back to his bed. He starts walking there and I bring my pillows and blanket and set up camp on their floor. For some reason last summer this was one of Baileys “safe” places during storms, he would lay down and pant and be scared but I could usually get some sleep.

Me: William go back to bed
W: Are you sleeping in here?
Me: If Bailey will calm down I’ll sleep here
W: I wish I had a bunk like Natalie, then Bailey couldn’t get up to me
Me: Me too!
W: Can you and dad get me a bunk like Natalie?
Me: Only if I can get one too.
W: IT’S GOING TO BE A LONG NIGHT!
Me: Yes it is

I’ve actually joked about William and I climbing up into the bunk with Natalie and escaping the dog. I’m just not sure it would hold all 3 of us.

Me: Natalie do you think there is room for you, me and William in your bed?
N: You and me mom, but not William, he puts his hands under his head on the pillow like this (and she shows me) and his elbow keeps hitting me in the head when he twitches after he falls asleep.
Me: Ok, I’m not sure it would hold all 3 of us anyway

I tried lying down on the floor in the kids’ room, but Bailey wasn’t having it. The lightening was worse than the thunder but he was freaking out. So I took some school papers that I hadn’t gotten to reading and set up camp in the bathroom. For some reason, I guess that room drowns out some of the noise and atmospheric pressure so, the dog will calm down in there. Plus it’s such a small space he doesn’t have to far to go. But since the pipes are not covered and the oil burner is in there I won’t just lock him in there, someone has to sit in there with him.

Once we were settled in the bathroom I called the vets office (about 4:20AM) and left them a message letting them know that her idea wasn’t working and that we need to try something new. I’m thinking a horse tranquilizer or one of those dart guns that animal control uses on wild animals when they get into neighborhoods. Since I'm pretty sure the vet wont give me any of those maybe I need another addition on the house, just a small, sound proof, atmosphere proof room. All I need is a very noisy fan, a radio, TV and either very comfortable recliner or a bed. Actually if we do it right I wont have to stay in there with the dog so just the fan and a loud radio. Someplace he can’t get hurt and can’t destroy anything.

We hung out for about an hour till it sounded like the storm died down. Then I took him in the kids room wrapped the leash around my arm and tried to get some sleep. He lay down with me for about 5 minutes then there were rumbles of thunder again and he was up and pacing.

At that point it was close to 5 so I just got up and made breakfast. I had a double batch of pancakes all cooked by 5:45 AM. Now I’m hearing on the news that we are supposed to have storms all day. I’ll stay awake till I get the kids off to school then I just may sneak up in Natalie’s bed and hide from the trouble maker.

After all the excitement through out the night, William came out at 6:17 and said good Morning to me! I told him he needed to go back to bed. I tucked him back in, hoping we wouldn’t wake Natalie and William told me

W: You know mom, Bailey can still lick us up in Natalie’s bed. He stretches up there and he can get his tongue to us.
M: Good to know, I’ll go down the other end. Now go back to sleep.

Ed just left for work, I’m going to go lay down and I give it about 2 minutes till one of the kids is out waking me up:-)

Ha, Ha, Ha, I didn’t even get through the spell check and William is out of bed---again!

Now Natalie is up

N: I was up in the middle of the night last night
Me: You were?
N: Yes, that’s why I slept in this morning
Me: 6:45 isn’t sleeping in!


And guess who is passed out, snoring on the floor?