Bodhi had a rough night last night. Molars. He was awake, and upset a lot, able now to express his pain in ows and requests for remedies. His dad was half grumpy, half sympathetic. I don't really know what to do with his aggressive responses to his children's expression of pain...
This morning, Bodhi told us about a dream he'd had, where there was a 'caterpillar on mine head'. Sometimes it was ladybird. He wouldn't say any more about it, but he told us again and again. And again. In mine hair.
Tonight, tired, at time to go to sleep, he was just about to snuggle down, when he stopped, and turned to me and asked 'caterpillar coming back?'
I asked him if he was worried about having the dream again, and he nodded, vehemently. I asked him if it had been a bad dream, if he had been scared. He stopped, and stared at me, eyes huge and round. His face reddened, gaze intensifying, his lip started to shake and crumple and he started to cry and nod.
So I took him on my lap, cuddled him against me, and told him about lucid dreaming, baby style. Happier dreams of driving to the zoo in a red car, and feeding the caterpillar to the monkeys, if it came back. Monkeys will chomp it. Mama and Daddy will throw it away.
It still took him ages to fall asleep. Crap. Two years old and plagued by a scary dream, scared to sleep in case it returns. It doesn't seem right somehow. This is parenting. It's like their dreams are your responsibility now. How can I guard his sleep?
15 comments:
Well, here's a three step plan:
nah, kidding.
I wish!
Lord. I remember one of mine used to get night terrors. Ever seen one of those? It was so horrible. Ripped my heart out. We do our best. We do our best.
Yes, Olivia had them for years, starting from when she was tiny. Horrible. I was thinking how much better run of the mill nightmares are.
O love! That's terrible. It breaks your heart, doesn't it? As for daddies... Well, we have a grumpy bear here too who hates being awoken in the middle of the night. He's working on it though:)
That's another thing I must add to the list for the midwife.
I want a baby that is NOT furry and doesn't have nightmares.
Furry babies are lovely! Bodhi had silky fuzz on his ears and shoulders, it was super cute.
Oh I dunno, I just can't handle the whole peach thing.
I have to eat them wet.
And I don't think I can keep the baby wet all the time.
You have to eat your peaches wet. You're a freak, X. I have to ask, why not just eat nectarines?
And also, I hope you pay for ET's brazilians.
I eat both, but I can't eat a dry peach.
Makes my teeth and lips positively spasm.
Brazilians? now now now....
Oh c'mon. Peaches? What are you expecting.
Told you, I can only eat it if it's wet...
When I was a child I was plagued with nightmares about Elvis Presley. I would scream my little heart out every time it happened.
I think what you said to your son was perfect though :-)
I come on here to leave a heartfelt comment about the pain of baby nightmares and night terrors and how well you handled it and such, and then...
I get blindsided by bawdy smut... tsk...
I always know where to come for a wheeze! LOL!
I read this comment in my email, and I thought, what? Bawdy smut? Where?
Pff, this is just banter, Ciara, banter!
Post a Comment