The sleep chronicles

The night before last night went something like this:

12am: Whines start from the room next door - which quickly turn into cries. I go into Benjammin's room , see if he's ok, offer him some water (which he spits out), lie him down again and walk out. The cries get louder and more hysterical. I pray he'd go to sleep. We try to ignore the cries. Frustration builds. Neither of us can get some sleep.

1am: We give in and get him a bottle.

1.30am: He is fast asleep and I can't get back to sleep. Finally I do. Not sure what time.

5.15am: The whines start from next door. I get up straight away and get him a bottle. This will send him straight back to sleep, I think, and then I can get some more much needed sleep.


5.50am: I give up and get up - he won't go back to sleep. I go into his room and am greeted by a huge smile. I don't quite manage to return it.





Then last night went like this:

12.45am: Noises start from the room next door. I groan and I pray hard. But soon he's wide awake and bouncing around in his cot. Not crying tonight so we decide to ignore.


1.30am: He starts to bang on the wall next to our bed (his cot is directly in the other side of the wall...if there was somewhere else in the room to put it, believe me I would put it there). Frustration is at a high. We need some sleep! I give in (again!!!!) and get him a bottle.


5.50am: Noises from next door. I am already resigned to getting up but they miraculously stop and he goes back to sleep. Maybe it's all the praying in the middle of the night. Funny (but not really) how he decides to go back to sleep when I have to get up for work and can't take advantage of it.


6.50am: He's up and bouncing around, full of beans. Wish I could say the same for me and poor hubby.




Whoever thought up the phrase "sleeping like a baby" certainly did not know Benjamin!

Mother's Intuition

I felt really proud of myself yesterday. Probably because I don't give myself enough credit as a mum but anyway...let me explain why I was proud. Benjamin was particularly whiney yesterday. For a spirited baby, it's sometimes hard to distinguish when he's being demanding and strong-willed or when there is something wrong. Thinking he was tired, I tried to put him to sleep. No go. I felt there had to be something more.

Later that day I noticed him scratching his head and whining. A thought occured to me that he may have an ear infection. And then around dinner time when he would just not leave me alone and had to be carried, I texted my husband to come home (he was in a meeting) because we needed to take Benjamin to the doctor: suspected ear infection.

Thing is, Benjamin is such a trouper when it comes to pain. About a month ago he had an ear infection where there was even puss in his ears and he was still bouncing and happy. So there we were last night, sitting at the doctor's rooms with our little boy bouncing around, smiling at the strangers, making them laugh when he pressed his face against the glass, making friends with a little Indian boy. I began to think there was nothing wrong...and I was going to get a "here's one of those psycho mums who bring their child in for every little whine" looks from the doctor.

But yes, you guessed it. Two red, inflamed ears, needing (another!) course of antibiotics. I'm so glad I trusted myself. I have been around this boy pretty constantly for the last 15 months....so it stands to reason that I do know something about him!

Cheers to the grape!

It's been an absolutely crazy month...hence no blog entries. I've been feeling sick, absolutely exhausted, a bit anxious and at times, downright shocked! Yes I am expecting bubba number two. Completely unplanned.So I'm 10 weeks on Tuesday and already showing. Stretched tummy muscles don't seem to hold it in as well! Here's what "the grape" (I'm talking about the size for those who don't get me) looks like at this stage.

The huge challenge is that bubba number one is still as full on and demanding as ever. Eeeek! But I know many mothers have been there before and despite what I feel sometimes, I'm going to be fine. Yes I'm going to be run off my feet and need some help sometimes but that's ok. Benjamin still doesn't sleep that well but I've had to relax about it all. I mean he can't be like this forever. And in every other way he is a healthy, happy, confident little boy....soon to be brother!! Wow.