Miles runs the baby down
The boy and I are still having trouble coming to grips with his sleep issues. Something is causing him anxiety to the point where he won't go to sleep without both of us there and he won't stay asleep without at least one of us beside him. Meaning: taking until 9pm many nights to go to sleep, and waking at 6am if we're both up. And today, fighting his nap.
I was particularly beside myself today. When I woke up, he was sound asleep. I thought the tide had finally turned and I could get back to working in the early mornings. Within minutes of booting up the computer I heard the thud-thud-thud of his little feet (pitter patter? HA!) and I knew I was in for it. I was so frustrated. I'm behind on a number of projects.
It didn't get easier all morning. He'd rub his eyes, not know what he wanted, decide on something only to change his mind and want something else. I knew it was because of the early-morning wakeup call. Yet no matter when I put him down to sleep, he cried and screamed, and because I don't believe in the cry-it-out method, I went to get him.
By noon we'd both had enough. I put him in his room and, instead of closing the door, gated it so he wouldn't feel so cut off. He still screamed. I had no tricks left in my bag, so I turned to the one thing I knew would calm me down: Miles Davis' acclaimed 1959 album, Kind of Blue. I could only hope it would do the same for the boy.
It did. He stopped screaming right away. Within a few minutes I heard him making song-like noises. A few minutes after that he went silent. I went to check on him; I could hear him loudly sucking his thumb. I plan on writing a psalm of thanksgiving to Miles, Patron Saint of Sleeping Toddlers. Kind of Blue will remain firmly lodged in the #1 spot on my list of Favorite Albums of All Time.
As I write this, it's been about an hour. I've had the space and time I needed to make my decision about schedule changes: it has to be late nights, or nothing. This 6am stuff is too much for the kid, and that's too much for me.
I was particularly beside myself today. When I woke up, he was sound asleep. I thought the tide had finally turned and I could get back to working in the early mornings. Within minutes of booting up the computer I heard the thud-thud-thud of his little feet (pitter patter? HA!) and I knew I was in for it. I was so frustrated. I'm behind on a number of projects.
It didn't get easier all morning. He'd rub his eyes, not know what he wanted, decide on something only to change his mind and want something else. I knew it was because of the early-morning wakeup call. Yet no matter when I put him down to sleep, he cried and screamed, and because I don't believe in the cry-it-out method, I went to get him.
By noon we'd both had enough. I put him in his room and, instead of closing the door, gated it so he wouldn't feel so cut off. He still screamed. I had no tricks left in my bag, so I turned to the one thing I knew would calm me down: Miles Davis' acclaimed 1959 album, Kind of Blue. I could only hope it would do the same for the boy.
It did. He stopped screaming right away. Within a few minutes I heard him making song-like noises. A few minutes after that he went silent. I went to check on him; I could hear him loudly sucking his thumb. I plan on writing a psalm of thanksgiving to Miles, Patron Saint of Sleeping Toddlers. Kind of Blue will remain firmly lodged in the #1 spot on my list of Favorite Albums of All Time.
As I write this, it's been about an hour. I've had the space and time I needed to make my decision about schedule changes: it has to be late nights, or nothing. This 6am stuff is too much for the kid, and that's too much for me.
posted by Christa M. Miller at 12:39 PM
2 Comments:
I decided to see if your mojo would work for N. We don't have Kind of Blue, so yesterday I tried Birth of Cool and Relaxin with Miles. No dice. I even tried Jimmy Scott, whose voice puts me into a swoon. The kid ain't buyin any of it. But you know what? Since Rubber Soul gets him singing, maybe I'll just stick with the Beatles for now and trust that a singing toddler, even if awake, is better than a grumpy one.
that's awesome!
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