While sitting through the Christmas Eve service, I noticed I was becoming increasingly skeptical of the hymns we were singing, and rather jealous of the Holy Mother. In most every song, the Baby Jesus is portrayed as the perfect sleeper. Mary sings a lullaby as he rocks on her lap, puts him down on a pile of hay in a manger, and they all sleep in heavenly peace. Sure, the cattle and their lowing wake the poor kid, but he doesn't cry. He doesn't wake his mother and make her hold him or insist on sleeping in her bed. He puts himself back to sleep.
Maybe you have a kid like that. I am not so fortunate. In fact, while I was attending this late service, my son was at home with a babysitter watching Cars. He was supposed to be sleeping.
Perhaps when he leaves for college, I'll finally get a good night's sleep. Until then, you can probably find me rolling my eyes at all those sentimental Christmas melodies, and secretly wishing I knew what Mary knew about putting kids to sleep.
Duct tape?
ReplyDeleteSleep?! You mean they are supposed to sleep?!
ReplyDeleteFor three Chistmases and birthdays, I longed to put "two consecutive nights of sleep." My dear boy NEVER consistently sleep through the night (no matter what "trick" we tried), until he gave up naps at age 2 1/2. Instead, I discovered coffee and also had those exact same thoughts as you of Mary. (My sister just had her first child last June. I think Zach came home from the hospital sleeping through the night - grrrrrr.)
ReplyDeleteSue- So there are other children out there like mine! Some days I feel so lonely (and tired...). We, too, tried every "trick." I finally stopped trying, and decided there was nothing I could do to make him sleep through the night. My husband reminds me often that someday it will be his college roommate's problem. Or his wife's.
ReplyDeleteI like your husband's comment! :)
ReplyDelete