The magic number

Since we brought Brady home everyone told me that the next stage would be the magic age. 3 months was when he'd sleep. Then, 6 months was the golden age.

I waited patiently for six months. Well, six months came and went. No magic number. Just a growing little boy. I got so darn sick of hearing people tell me he would sleep when he was ready or I was spoiling him by getting up with him and to let him cry it out. Trust me, I tried everything and I was not about to let my child cry so hard he couldn't catch his breath.

I look back at the blur and fusses of the first three months and then when he hit month four, life got a bit easier. He was a different, happy baby. Then, five and six months hit and he continued to be the happy, full of sunshine baby during the day, while at night the horns came out! I expected things to get better but when it didn't happen, I decided it never would.

Oh well, I'll sleep when he's 30. Hopefully, he still doesn't want to be fed at 4 am!

Around month five, we hit the dreaded damned reflux peak. Boy, did it peak! I suddenly felt like I had a newborn again. We would have numerous wake-ups and 1-3 hour middle of the night wake periods. I was exhausted and tapped out-physically and emotionally. Lack of sleep really can do crazy things to you, and you do crazy things like forget meetings and where you put the dog.

Then, seven months hit.

Ladies and gentlemen (are there any men out there?) I think seven is our LUCKY number. I don't want to jinx it but really this is the first solid stretch of consistency we have EVER had. We have had 7, 8, 9 hour stretches! Part of it is because he is getting older, part of it is because he is so busy during the day (ahem...mobile) and part of it is because we have a concoction of reflux meds that are making his tummy better (thankyouverymuch prevacid and mylanta!) Then, it might be because of a little thing called consistancy. I don't' care what the reasons are. I just care that it happened.

I might still be getting up once a night with him and we might still have not so good nights but we have come a long way. He was the conductor on that crazy train of inconsistency.

Part of me has a bit of sleep anxiety and can't seem to go back to sleep after we get up at 4 am. Part of me is just tired all the time. Part of me wonders if I'll ever sleep soundly again, expecting that cry in the middle of the night or to check on him throughout the night.

Looking back, part of me is a bit stronger and I am fully inducted into this thing called motherhood.

I'm not so new at this anymore. Just a little more well rested.