To Sleep or Not to Sleep

Part of our weekly routine here in Dakar includes taking medications for the prevention of malaria. This is particularly important since we live one block from a swamp. Well, most medicines have side effects and what we take to prevent malaria is no exception. Only Alexis seems to suffer from a side effect and unfortunately it seems to be insomnia. So, what do you do with a child who isn't the tiniest bit tired from 12:30am to 6:00am? Well, we had to figure that out yesterday so let me tell you! For the first two hours we kept calling to her and telling her to go back to sleep. After she cried and asked for water the 9th time we let her sit in our bed. Yes, she sat between Dan and I for 2 hours and then started wiggling. That was too much for me so Dan got up and read a book with her for 30 minutes in the living room. Now it's 5am and we bring her back to our bed. She lays there some more and finally falls asleep at 6am for a whole 2 hours. It was unbelievable and we were so tired. Guess who wasn't? Lucas AND Alexis! What a day it was!