It was time. Couldn't be put off any longer. Nanuk's permanent move from bassinet at my bedside to crib all the way down the hall. I don't like him being so far away from me. As it is, I don't like Piglet being so far away from me at night either and he's nearly 3. A distance of a whopping 20 steps. Anxiety.
When I was pregnant with Piglet, someone gave me the following advice: "Never let the baby sleep in your room. You'll never get any sleep." I had not yet become a mother officially, but I knew instantly her advice was not for me. I wanted that baby in arm's reach constantly. I wanted to hear every little breath and coo, grunt, stretch and wimper. All reassurances of life in him. I wanted to reach into the bassinet just inches away each time he needed me. Each time I needed him. Sitting up in bed half asleep to stroke his forehead was also much easier than trudging down the hall at every wakeful peep. Or at every moment of motherly paranoia I may have encountered in my sleep. You know the kind. hearing and knowing were more important than sleeping, in my book.
All too soon, though, that first baby was mobile. Reaching one arm over the side of the bassinet as leverage to peer over the top. Grabbing the sides with each hand and trying to pull himself to sitting. Yikes! It was time to graduate to the big lonely crib. Oh sadness. My first night of reliance on the baby monitor had me all worked up, but eventually I got used to it. And here's a confession: that first baby is now nearly 3 years old old and I still keep a monitor in his room. Pathetic? Perhaps, but I want to know that if he has a bad dream or upset tummy or earache that I can hear his little voice instantly. It rarely happens, but you know, just in case. A little peace of mind.
So, now our baby Nanuk has outgrown his accommodations next to Mommy's bed. The one over which he peers each morning to greet me, beaming. His fluffy noggin touches one end, his little toes touch the other. Barely room for him to roll over (his favorite trick). It's time. But I'm not yet ready to leave Piglet monitor-less at night. Hence another confession: I bought another monitor. One for baby-the-first on my dresser. One for baby-the-second on Mr. J's dresser. Judge if you must.
1 comment:
I was the same way. They are only babies a little while, you have to cherish it. I just only stopped waking up in the middle of the night to go check to see if my baby was breathing and she just turned seven. My advice would be cherish every second, because pretty soon your baby is going to be thirty something with her own babies. I bet your parents feel like that. I know I am preaching to the choir.
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