Well, I’m writing this as little Graham is sleeping soundly in his crib. I’m having a glass of wine worry free, sitting next to my husband, winding down the day. It’s amazing how quickly things can change. Less than two weeks ago (before the dreaded sleep training), our little guy was waking me up every hour or two for a snack, hogging my side of the bed, and wailing in protest if I so much as slipped away for a quick bathroom break in the night.
Now he’s sleeping 10 hours straight on his own in the crib and waking with a smile. And mama has some free time all of the sudden. I had forgotten what it’s like to be able to just hang out with my husband and watch a movie, or paint
my nails, or have a glass of wine without being terrified that it would make me an unsafe co-sleeper. It’s so nice to have some “me time” again, oh and to get to sleep.
It had been almost seven months since I’d slept through the night, maybe longer. (Who can sleep during pregnancy without several bathroom breaks a night?) Now that I’m getting all of this uninterrupted sleep, I’m feeling like a new woman—less irritable, and with so much more energy and patience to play with Graham during the day.
Speaking of play, little Graham is so much fun these days. Laughing and talking up a storm, eating everything and making hilariously funny faces at every new flavor, giving hugs, bouncing,
trying to balance on all fours and making some attempts at learning to crawl. I’m so excited for the crawling milestone, but friends (who are more experienced parents) keep urging me to “enjoy it while it lasts” … because once he’s crawling we’ll never stop chasing him around!
Isn’t that how we’re wired, though? Always ready for “what’s next”? Always looking ahead? Well before we know it, our baby boy will be running around, going to school, even driving?! I know it will all come faster than I can imagine, so I’m reminding myself this week to soak in the moments, savor the now, be present with my sweet little baby, and inhale his sweet scent when I hold him close.
He’s growing up a little more each day. Now that we’ve made this big leap into sleeping through the night in his crib, I realize he’s no newborn anymore. This new little bit of independence is wonderful for both of us, but it’s also a step away from him being totally dependent on mama, which is bittersweet. I have a feeling this bittersweet feeling will be a recurring theme throughout this adventure of motherhood.
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