There Really Isn't a Graceful Way to Change the Subject
I'm feeling brave.
Or stupid.
I am willing to admit that our "sleep issues" (I use quotes because really it's WHY THE HELL CAN'T WE ALL JUST SLEEP. Issues. Many issues.) seem to have vanished into thin air.
That sound you hear is my brain throwing a VERY big party. With streamers! And confetti! And noisemakers! There's even cake at the party. Good cake!
I don't know what happened, to be honest. Maybe it's the bigger bed. Maybe it's the obnoxious number of nightlights strewn about the upper floor of our house. Maybe it's the hints of an Alexis-designed mural (that probably won't be done for 20 years at the pace I'm moving) in her room. Maybe it's the fact that it's a long freaking walk from Alexis' room to our room. I can't be sure. All I know is the kid has only wound up wrapped around my head in the middle of the night once. ONCE. Once is so close to not at all that it's practically not even worth acknowledging. I'm ignoring you, Once!
Every night as I'm tucking Alexis in for the night, I ask her what she's going to dream about. It was a suggestion one of y'all made back when she was having wicked nightmares, and it's a seriously amazing little trick. I can't prove that it reduces nightmares, but I can prove that it's the bestest time of the whole day. I love hearing the kid report on what she plans to dream about. It usually starts with, "Playing with you." MELT. After that it's usually, "Playing with Barbies . . . watching High School Musical . . ." and a bunch of other stuff that is fine and dandy.
Lately, though, she has been listing the most fantabulous idea for a good dream I could have ever imagined. "I'll dream about staying in my bed all night."
It's about time the kid and I shared a dream. A beautiful, wonderful, perfect dream.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Reader Comments (28)
Oh I am going to have to try that dream trick on my girls. My 6 year old mostly stays in her bed, but I find my 8 year old in my bed every.single.night. I never would have thought when she did that as a 2 and 3 year old, that she would still do it as an 8 year old. I've tried every trick in the book, including locking our door (that night wasn't pretty I tell ya). So happy for you that she is sleeping better!
I love it!!!!
Allie keeps sneaking in my bed. I think I'll write a post on it. It is driving me CRAZY!
I just tried that trick on Boo and he was all 'I am NOT sleeping!'
Great.
It's the Magic of the New House! :) woohoo!!
I hate to even put this in writing, but after what felt like an eternity of my kid getting up 50 thousand times and not staying in bed, she stopped.
It's been a glorious few weeks here.
I AM STUPID.
And totally jinxed myself. URGH. Somebody, please pass the coffee . . .
Was all ready to type "YAY"...when I saw your comment. Sorry. Maybe just a last ditch effort to prove who's in control?
Do you need the twinTeb patrol to come over and tire her out? b/c it can be done.
*hands you coffee*
Sorry to hear that in your comments here. But it's like a Perfect Game. You don't talk about it. Maybe we don't know that because the Pirates will never have one of those.
That said, I think that picture should be your Christmas card.
That is quite the outfit! She probably dreams about what she will wear the next day!
I have a dream....
So apparently "I'm ignoring you, One!" has turned into "What the heck are you doing here, Two?!"
Oh happy day!!!!!
Nothing better than a full nights sleep. :)
My daughter wakes me up an average of 500 times a night (just averaging here) so it somehow makes me feel better to know that there are other children torturing their parents, too.
I see Project Runway in her future!! That's an awesome and funky look!!
Hallie :)
@C--Somehow, it doesn't make me feel better. It makes me think there are just some kids who can't be cured of their need to keep everybody up all night long. I want a magic potion, dammit!
Don't panic (yet). Perhaps it's just a once a week sort of thing? Or once a month? Just because she HAPPENED to helemtize you COINCIDENTALLY right after you blogged about it (snickers) doesn't mean she'll do it again and again and again. Some backsliding is to be expected.
But if it DOES keep up (like how I just dampened the condidence I just shoved in front of you?), I have a few ideas.
does that outfit come in big girl sizes? because i could so rock that as hard as she does.
woman, your child is so damn adorable and you are a wonderful photographer.
(i can say she is adorable because she wasn't wrapped around my head last night!)
I don't have any skin kids yet to use that lil' trick on...but damn skippy I'm going to start asking myself that question each night before bed!
(oh, and Alexis has MUCH better dress-up clothes than I did as a kiddo...too cute!!!)
@Katie--I like ideas. I've tried approximately 87076754489.256 of them, but I'm always game for more.
@Nicci--That Hannah Montana wig is perhaps the fugliest wig of all time. If you really like it, I'll happily send it to you. ;-)
Jealous. That is the only word I have. The sleeping situation has plumeted to a new level of hell around here. I hope it continues . . . with all those new bedrooms to fill, it will only be a matter of time before someone else is waking you up in the middle of the night!
*Ducking and running away now!*
I hear ya about the gamut of ideas. I've tried almost that many getting Bee to not cry and get up and down for the first hour she's in bed. (Mostly) fail there. Each new idea works for about two weeks. Then we're at square one.
With that in mind, here are two ideas I had IF things deteriorate (which I'm still hopeful won't happen)...
1. WHen you're talking about what SHE should dream about, ask Alexis what YOU should dream about. Then tell her that you can talk about and share your dreams when you see her at breakfast. But NO PEEKING at your dreams during the night. (Maybe leave out that last sentence if you think it will make her want to peek.)
2. Say to her, "Oh no! I just bragged to everyone that you slept ALL NIGHT in your own bed like a BIG girl! And then you slept in my bed and broke the spell! How do we fix it?" Maybe if she has input into how to make her stay, she'll be more invested?
Worth a shot anyway!
@Katie--#1? IS GOLD. We've done #2, but oh boy! I like #1!
Love it.
That's brilliant and darling and wonderful. I *walk* around her bed each night with her two favorite stuffed animals and then after I've completed my "circuit" she tells them the magic words. They kiss her. I kiss her. WE all go to bed. So far. awesome.
Alexis and Princess have VERY similar fashion sense.
I wishmy children had that same dream!
Love the idea of asking them what they're going to dream about. I'm going to ask mine that tomorrow :)
Alleluia!!!
And she is totally rockin' that outfit!
perfect!
I can't believe you actually typed this out and posted it. Brave? Yes. Insane? Yes. Expect toddler helmet tonight.