Sick Baby's Request
Last night our baby woke up two hours after we had fallen asleep.
It was one of those "Oh, I hope he goes back to sleep" ones because we were so tired. His little sad cry came over the monitor and I prodded my husband to go help the baby go back to sleep (he has night duty now that I don't feed him back to sleep anymore).
Across the house my husband sleepily went and into baby's room. Normally, the next thing I hear is quiet all except the noise machine but last night was different. The sad, pathetic little cry kept coming even after our baby was being held and rocked.
That means he wants me.
I went to baby's room and there he was leaning against daddy's chest softly crying. He saw me and his arms went out. I picked him up and sat down to rock and nurse him and hubby went back to our room. I soon realized baby had a tummy ache so I tried to rub his stomach. Soon, he was sitting up and, with his favorite sign language, signed "food" to me. I tried nursing him some more but that's not what he wanted.
With reluctance I let my little boy slide from my lap, clad in his sleeper and fuzzy sleep sack, grab my finger, and lead me out of the room.
I realized I might be up for awhile...
That dear little boy led me by two figures, padding along in his sleep sack to the kitchen and to the pantry. I opened the door and got him a Ritz cracker. He accepted them. Then I pulled out a fruit pouch and he drank that. Then, with crackers in hand, he once again took my finger and walked me out of the kitchen, but instead of heading to his room, he headed straight for mine to see daddy.
We got to my room and baby went on the bed. He snuggled first with me on my leg while I sleepily reclined and resigned myself to being a sick little boys pillow for awhile (it was honestly really sweet). After snuggling with me he scooted over to daddy and snuggled up against him while dad rubbed his back.
He ended up pressed up against the wall, Daddy's head up next to the head of the bed while my head was at the foot. After he fell fully asleep, daddy carried him to his room and put him to bed. Then we both sleepily crawled back under the covers and went to sleep.
I smile recalling this. It was really sweet but it also was frustrating. I wanted my kid to just go back to sleep so I could too. I wanted him to fall asleep for dad because I REALLY didn't want to get up. I wanted him to fall asleep for me when I tried. I really didn't want to let him take me to the kitchen and get him food at nearly midnight... but I did.
Because I realized he was sick. I realized he needed some compassion. I realized that if I was the sick one and thought food would help my stomach, I would want my loved one to get it for me. I realized that I can't fix everything but when my kid is hurting and asks for me to just be patience and help him I want to be there for him.
I don't always catch on to his needs. I don't always realize when he's truly needing something vs just wanting something but I'm learning. What do you do when your kids are sick to help them feel better? Leave it in the comments below!
Much love,
-Joy
It was one of those "Oh, I hope he goes back to sleep" ones because we were so tired. His little sad cry came over the monitor and I prodded my husband to go help the baby go back to sleep (he has night duty now that I don't feed him back to sleep anymore).
Across the house my husband sleepily went and into baby's room. Normally, the next thing I hear is quiet all except the noise machine but last night was different. The sad, pathetic little cry kept coming even after our baby was being held and rocked.
That means he wants me.
I went to baby's room and there he was leaning against daddy's chest softly crying. He saw me and his arms went out. I picked him up and sat down to rock and nurse him and hubby went back to our room. I soon realized baby had a tummy ache so I tried to rub his stomach. Soon, he was sitting up and, with his favorite sign language, signed "food" to me. I tried nursing him some more but that's not what he wanted.
With reluctance I let my little boy slide from my lap, clad in his sleeper and fuzzy sleep sack, grab my finger, and lead me out of the room.
I realized I might be up for awhile...
That dear little boy led me by two figures, padding along in his sleep sack to the kitchen and to the pantry. I opened the door and got him a Ritz cracker. He accepted them. Then I pulled out a fruit pouch and he drank that. Then, with crackers in hand, he once again took my finger and walked me out of the kitchen, but instead of heading to his room, he headed straight for mine to see daddy.
We got to my room and baby went on the bed. He snuggled first with me on my leg while I sleepily reclined and resigned myself to being a sick little boys pillow for awhile (it was honestly really sweet). After snuggling with me he scooted over to daddy and snuggled up against him while dad rubbed his back.
He ended up pressed up against the wall, Daddy's head up next to the head of the bed while my head was at the foot. After he fell fully asleep, daddy carried him to his room and put him to bed. Then we both sleepily crawled back under the covers and went to sleep.
I smile recalling this. It was really sweet but it also was frustrating. I wanted my kid to just go back to sleep so I could too. I wanted him to fall asleep for dad because I REALLY didn't want to get up. I wanted him to fall asleep for me when I tried. I really didn't want to let him take me to the kitchen and get him food at nearly midnight... but I did.
Because I realized he was sick. I realized he needed some compassion. I realized that if I was the sick one and thought food would help my stomach, I would want my loved one to get it for me. I realized that I can't fix everything but when my kid is hurting and asks for me to just be patience and help him I want to be there for him.
I don't always catch on to his needs. I don't always realize when he's truly needing something vs just wanting something but I'm learning. What do you do when your kids are sick to help them feel better? Leave it in the comments below!
Much love,
-Joy
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