The Boss has determined that sleep is overrated.
For the past two nights/wee-early hours of the morning, he has been screaming. Not just waking and fussing then falling back asleep - but ranting and raving and thrashing about whenever we attempt to return him to his bed.
It's not just his bed either, we attempted to get him to sleep in our bed last night - one AM desperation and exhaustion. He struggled and fussed and fidgeted until finally, he zonked out. A few hours later, we moved his sleeping body back to his own bed, only to hear him an hour later, up and screaming again.
When my husband went in to check on him, he was standing on his benchseat beside the window, just standing and screaming.
We're thinking it's nightmares (as he's also adverse to sleeping during naptime) - but if anyone has any other thoughts, or advice on why a not-sick two-year old would be freaking out (and tips on how to calm him down) please share.
Whatever it is, we're all crabby and miserable here.
Luckily though, sleep deprivation is one of the things that triggers me to write.
Speaking of writing - after the initial elation of seeing myself in print wore off, I was faced with a mild panic of "Ok, what's next?" And, I also thought about how I don't think I'll ever be able to read the story itself again, for fear of nitpicking it to death. I need to just accept that it's done and try to be satisfied with it.
It's odd, for as much as I love writing, I think it, the whole process of it, actually tortures me - yet without it I'd go insane.
Or maybe, it's without sleep that I go insane. Or do the two go hand in hand?
Either way, time to stop rambling, brew some coffee and get back to work...educational DVD's only distract little one's for so long.
For the past two nights/wee-early hours of the morning, he has been screaming. Not just waking and fussing then falling back asleep - but ranting and raving and thrashing about whenever we attempt to return him to his bed.
It's not just his bed either, we attempted to get him to sleep in our bed last night - one AM desperation and exhaustion. He struggled and fussed and fidgeted until finally, he zonked out. A few hours later, we moved his sleeping body back to his own bed, only to hear him an hour later, up and screaming again.
When my husband went in to check on him, he was standing on his benchseat beside the window, just standing and screaming.
We're thinking it's nightmares (as he's also adverse to sleeping during naptime) - but if anyone has any other thoughts, or advice on why a not-sick two-year old would be freaking out (and tips on how to calm him down) please share.
Whatever it is, we're all crabby and miserable here.
Luckily though, sleep deprivation is one of the things that triggers me to write.
Speaking of writing - after the initial elation of seeing myself in print wore off, I was faced with a mild panic of "Ok, what's next?" And, I also thought about how I don't think I'll ever be able to read the story itself again, for fear of nitpicking it to death. I need to just accept that it's done and try to be satisfied with it.
It's odd, for as much as I love writing, I think it, the whole process of it, actually tortures me - yet without it I'd go insane.
Or maybe, it's without sleep that I go insane. Or do the two go hand in hand?
Either way, time to stop rambling, brew some coffee and get back to work...educational DVD's only distract little one's for so long.
Labels: The Boss, Writing Life
5 Comments:
Sounds like it could be an ear infection, Mella. At least, reading your description, that's what came immediately to mind... especially the part about him waking up not long after you'd put him back to sleep in his bed.
Try asking him if his ear hurts. Whatever it is, I hope it passes soon! Sleepless nights (and everyone's consequent crankiness) are no fun!
I know I hated to nap, and was allowed to quietly play on the bed until naptime was over. But then, I don't know that I would make a lot of recommendations based on how I was raised.
Skye You know, I was worried about that. He had his very first one just after Christmas and though they did a follow-up a couple of weeks later and everything was fine, I'm still afraid of another one popping-up.
Zhoen Oh, yeah. Ever since we moved him over to his toddler bed, he's been given a "nap-window", meaning, I put him down but don't expect for him to actually go to sleep for at least thirty minutes to an hour - if he's not napping by that point, I go back in and lay him back down, again.
More often than not lately, though, he has learned the art of playing VERY quietly, so that he doesn't nap at all, but I don't suspect that he's awake.
Hi Mella, It has been a long time since I last read your blog, but I thought I'd offer some advise. Night terrors are common among boys at that age, thought I'm sure you've already thought of that. But they do differ physiologically from simple nightmares.
http://pediatrics.about.com/cs/sleep/a/night_terrors.htm
Neither of my kids had this, thankfully, but my nephew did.
as for napping.... Our little one (Sylvie) is about the same age as your Boss. She gave up napping promptly at 2, when we moved her into a big bed and took her diapers off. This is at home. She still sleeps an hour in daycare. We tried a bit to keep her in there, but gave up. She just goes to bed 30 minute earlier. Putting her to nap was pointless, and it gives up whole free day without having to worry about napping.
john paul Thank you so much for your thoughtful response... I had a friend suggest night terrors too, I'll investigate. He hasn't had any "episodes" for a few days now, actually, not since I wrote this post. Hmmm...maybe my writing is therapeutic for him as well as me. =)
And, what's this? Your daughter is already out of diapers?! I'm envious. The Boss will sit on his training potty and read a book, but there's no action. He has been in his 'big boy' bed since 18 months though...
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