So it’s 4:00am and you have just spent the last hour trying to soothe your crying baby back into the land of nod. Whether it’s teething, snotty noses or just being wide awake for no apparent reason, you have sung, stroked and rocked and tried all the tricks in the book to settle them. All the while thinking of your nice warm, cosy and comfortable bed, wishing you had put your dressing gown on because you are now freezing, and wondering why this always happens on your shift and not your partners. Whilst you’ve worried in case it’s something serious you’ve also calculated with each passing minute how much more sleep you could get before the morning starts.
And when they finally drift off in your arms you admire their beautiful sleepy face and forgive the interrupted sleep. You hold them for 5 more minutes just to be sure they are asleep and when they murmur you start counting the 5 minutes again. Then you manage a successful transfer from cuddle to cot without waking the baby or getting your arm trapped under their head. You’ve done it. You are a thirty seconds away from slipping back into your bed. A mere walk away from sleep. What could possibly go wrong?
- Stubbing your toe on the cot. Oh the silent screams of agony and tirade of whispered cursing that have escaped my lips on many occasion.
- Sneezing. Your body decides that now would be the perfect time for a head shaking sneeze without any pre-warning.
- Creaky floorboards. It doesn’t matter that you know where it is because at 4 O’clock in the morning it moves!
- Car Alarm. Yes the universe is conspiring against you.
- “I need a wee”. Shouted really loudly by your eldest child. Despite the fact they are perfectly capable of going to the toilet by themselves.
If you have the good fortune to make the treacherous journey back to your room. If you manage to make it back into bed and not have the baby wake again as soon as your head touches the pillow. If you have breathed that sigh of relief. Then congratulations, you may sleep. And now will be the time that sleep deserts you.
Who needs sleep anyway, right?
Of course it won’t be long before your kid is the one waking you up in the mornings in all manor of ways: 50 Reasons My Kid Wakes Me Up
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#3 !!! Creaky floorboards! That’s us :((
and snoring daddy…
Lol love this post, so true and really, really relevant to us right now! Xx
Thanks 🙂 Daytime naps aren’t any easier. Why do delivery men always arrive 5 minutes after you’ve put the baby down and try to hammer down your door then shout in your face when you answer it!
haha I know, I always find myself whispering in response – which means I get some really funny looks!
Haha so true, my kids are refusing to sleep these days too so when the neighbours dog starts barking at silly hours, I’m fuming! Thanks for linking up to #brilliantblogposts
Very funny, and unfortunately very true! We live on a busy road and in summer, with the windows open, there would always be *something* to wake the baby. It drove me nuts. Now that our son is a toddler he sleeps more deeply, thankfully. I still get the rage like in that cartoon though – my mother likes nothing better than trying to give him a kiss when he’s asleep!
What is it with people and sleepy babies. “Who’s a tired boy then”. YES he is and prodding him isn’t going to help him go to sleep! Or “I don’t think he’s tired” No because people keep talking to him!!! Ohhh I could rant for ages. I have the Monday grumps!
Oh yes, the “I don’t think he’s tired” things gets me every time too, especially because they ALWAYS get it wrong! Hope the grumps pass…
This made me chuckle, it’s so true! Our cats usually choose that time to run into the nursery and start yowling… Great post!
Dont get me started on the fireworks!
We had a toy come to life the other night. Scared the bajeesus out of me and husband when a voice started singing through the moniter. Had to run in and find it before it woke the baby!