nursery rhymes

Rock-a-bye baby, in the tree top

When the wind blows, the cradle will rock

When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall

And down will come baby, cradle and all.

Of course, I've heard this nursery rhyme a million times. I've even sung it a time or two to Nathan. But, I've always wondered why this nursery rhyme has to be so sad? I mean, who wants to sing to their child a song about a baby falling out of a tree? Who made this stuff up???

Well, I can tell you who. A woman who is at her wit's end from having a 4 month old baby who has been an excellent sleeper, but all of a sudden has forgotten how to - is who wrote that song. A woman who has been up every hour and a half listening to her child giggle to itself knowing that in a minute, it's mama is going to have to crawl out of her warm bed to turn him back over because he's flipped. A woman who's child has only taken one 30 minute nap all day long and who should be sleeping fabulously, but is strangely wide awake. That's who.

That's what has happened to me at least. Ever since he was about 2 months old I could tell people that he was the perfect child. I could see the envy in people's eyes when I honestly told them that he goes to bed around 7:30 and sleeps until 7 or so in the morning. I've known how very lucky I am.

When he was really young, we started a bedtime routine of getting in our pj's; turning on our sound machine, humidifier, and night light; reading a story; having a bottle; saying good night to special things in our house and the people we love; and going to bed. Now that he knows the routine as soon as I lay him down, he sticks that cute little thumb in his mouth and goes right to sleep without fussing or anything! It's so great. Well, I've read about the 4 month wakeful period. Medically, it's litsted as something that happens they become so alert that they don't want to sleep. It can last a week or two and often happens when they are around 4 months old. I'm afraid that's what we're in. Nathan did just turn 4 months on Monday. He seriously only took one 30 minute nap yesterday and woke every hour and a half last night. He's learned how to scoot around in his crib, so he woke up once with his face pressed against the crib rails (thank goodness my mom had lowered the bumper!) and then again when his arm was stuck in the rail and he couldn't get his thumb to his mouth. Poor little pumpkin.

I'll keep you updated on how tonight goes. He's had a pretty busy day being back at Miss Jennifer's after having 2 weeks off for Christmas and he's had 3 naps that each lasted longer than 30 minutes. Thank the Lord! I just hope I don't climb up in a tree tonight and throw him from it... (just kidding, sort of)