A Little Night's Sleep

James was up last night again just after midnight, cranky and fussy in the bathroom. These nights were never easy and now a few years on and back to work, I don't bounce back the way I used to.

I did some growling of my own, and got out the Bendryl, for his stuffy nose and wakefulness. He shrieked, which echoes some in the bathroom. He did trade taking the dose for iPad time in the morning.



James then went back to bed and slept for almost six more hours. He awoke in a much more cheerful mood, and I was happy to let him launch Angry Birds at the piggies on his iPad.

How wonderful it is that some good sleep and a new day can be a game changer for the better.

Sleep Over!

This weekend has had a couple smiles for me, mostly as I watched the kids play together. There were several years when James' sister begged me, with tears in her eyes to:

1. Have another baby, preferably a girl
2. Let her get a dog or a parrot
3. Trade James in for a neighbour's son
4. Let her go live at her Nana's

Ouch. But I understood. James wasn't a lot of fun as a playmate. He was largely passive and nonverbal (yet somehow very noisy). Mommy and Daddy paid sooooooooo much attention to James, and our days grew very constricted and centered around his needs.

I know this has changed her life and we've tried the best we can to give her special time and put energy to her needs and interests as well.

That's why last night's impromptu sleepover was so sweet. It was Big Sister's idea, of course. She handled getting them both ready for bed and I helped her set up a futon and her sleeping bag. We read a Dr. Seuss book, followed by an exciting chapter of Charlie Bone and the Time Twister. Both kiddos giggled and their faces practically shone with the newness and excitement. Then it was time for lights out.

It lasted all of 10 minutes.

James, unfortunately, could not settle down and Big Sister (who really was tired) moved back to her room. But, it was a good try. And I think it helped them both. Big Sister, to have her ideas supported and tried. James, to have a chance to experience a sleepover, which at Grade 1 starts to become a big social thing.

The Big Sleep-In

So. Tired. This. Morning.

So I let the kids come to me this morning. Told them where to find a snack. Told James where to find the iPad. Told them this morning they were playing in their rooms until I got up.

I slept in until all of 8:30. It was fabulous.

Special Exposure / Wordless Weds: Recharge

James is a totally on or off kind of guy. Usually by the time he's in sleep mode, I am too tired to do more than a final cleanup sweep of the house and shoe-horn his big sister into bed. But he had such a good time on his birthday this week that I could not resist catching him peacefully asleep. Recharging. So he can face tomorrow head-on, with me struggling to keep up with him.

For more great images or to join in the fun, Visit Special Exposure Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Special Needs.


and ... Wordless Wednesday

A New Experience

James woke up crying around 10 one night this week. Sobbing. He never does this. Once he's down for the night, he sleeps until morning (unless he is sick).

His dad and I came in, to find him sobbing "It's okay, Wubzy ... it's ooookay!" After rubbing his back and letting him hold on to us, we asked him if he was okay. He said there was a monster in the closet.

Woah!


Our daughter had a good year of monsters and bad dreams waking us up throughout the night. This was the first time James had this experience.

My first thought was "Wow, that is such a cool sentence! Awesome" and the next: "My poor baby!" So I held and rocked him while his dad explained there are no monsters. Then we closed his closet door and he relaxed and went back to sleep.

Since the disaster of frenetic activity from mid-December-mid-January and recovering from the latest bad-ass cold, James has emerged as almost a different child. More talkative. More snuggly. More relaxed and confident. It's wonderful to see.

P.S.: Let me add that both our kids have watched and loved Wubzy for many years. Wubzy = Good Guy.

Getting Better

We have had ourselves a sick week this week. James' cough from last week picked up a fever and sore throat by last Friday evening. Saturday he was one sick little boy. Sunday he was better, but Monday morning found him fever-bound again. I started giving him Benedryl to help him rest from the nasal run and coughing. It had the added benefit of helping him reunite with his forsworn afternoon naps. The periods of restfulness did wonders for him.

I have been skating around this for two weeks. My husband has spent a couple of days in bed over this. Half the kids in James' class have been out all week, and there have been a lot of absent students and parent volunteers in my daughter's class across town. This is true Evil Cold Stuff.

Today I let him go to his regular school in the morning for about an hour and a half. He had a good time and was reported to be full of energy. I took him home for a quiet hour and then brought him over to his afternoon program for a couple of hours, where again he did great. He was interested in hot french fries for the first time in over a week. He actually sat down and ate some early dinner tonight. We had BMs in the potty!!! Then I saw this, and swooped him off to an early bedtime:

Good Morning, Son-shine!

James got me up at 2 this morning with "Go potty, Mommy?"

He wears a diaper during the night, but he hates to wake up and find it messed. Okay so this is good in a way; we do the bathroom thing and I tuck him back in. He thinks if he's cute enough it will be morning. NO!!!! Took him over an hour to settle back down and this morning I had to wake him up.

That cracked me up because I went in to wake him up and asked him "Do you want to get up?" Usually he just about flies into my arms and yells "YES!!!" right in my ear. This time he rolled over, eyes tight shut, and smirked into the pillow "NO!"

He made the bus. He was so happy. I am so glad he has that attitude -- it will carry him through so many hard things.

Sleepy Bugged

James stretched his afternoon nap into a quasi all-nighter. He bounced awake at 3, happy & ready to play with Mommy. No.

I got him a drink of milk and a small snack (because he didn't really eat lunch, let alone diner) and then got him back to bed.

Repeat at 5. And 5:30. And 6. That's when I threw in the blanket and got up with him.

Now he is out running errands with his dad. I am thinking of catching up on some of that sleep.

Bed Time in a Big Bed

Okay ... so the big boy bed we bought for James this past summer?

Is now in his room and he is sleeping in it!!!! Yes!! Victory over procrastination!

Putting it together:





A bed!!! What shall we do with it? PLAY!!!


Whee!!!


Arrr, Mateys!



Happy Guy:



Bedtime stories by big sister:




(now the real test is next morning; I hope he doesn't realize he can get out of that bed and his room by himself!)

Oh Lucky Little Man

James celebrated the end of Daylight Savings Time the way he has the past three years -- he got up 2 1/2 hours earlier than usual. I was up at 4:45AM. That kid is lucky he is cute! He inhaled a lot of food for breakfast too. He is over 40" now, and I guess we are in for another growth spurt. Yikes!

His new favourite thing is watching the Disney Sing-Along video shot at Disneyland. I like this so much better than Caillou! We watched it 3 times today. I also took him out in the back yard once the sun rose. He explored a lot and had lots to offer talking-wise: "leaf!" "Oooh! Whassat?" "kee-tee" and "I want DADDY!!!" That brought a smile to someone's face!

He loves playing with Play Dough. He and his sister shared a big activity barrel of it for almost 45 minutes this afternoon. He rolled out the dough, asking first for the roller ("Roh-er?" Pease?") and then cutting out as many purple stars as possible, before mushing it all together and starting again. Both kids also spent some time playing with their musical toys with their dad. James flipped through many books. He loves one from Switzerland, from some reason. Bern is his muse, I guess? And it has been pouring cats and dogs outside, so we love the fact that he still uses his trampoline. Go get out that energy, James! And please, have pity on your poor mother and sleep until at least 6:30 tomorrow morning!