The Value of Sleep

With the earache and all the coughing we've not been sleeping so well at our house. Aidan had his first dose of antibiotic last night, so hopefully he'll start getting better soon. It's always so hard when they are sick. They need so much from their parents, particularly the Mommy. Aidan was doing pretty well yesterday, he played outside for a while with Daddy and then hung out with us both until he finally just laid down on me and napped. It wasn't until bedtime that he started breaking down.

He had such a hard time going to sleep. He kept moving closer to me until finally he flung his body over me, placed his head on my shoulder, and wrapped his legs and arms around me. Even then he seemed to be trying to get even closer to me. In the moment I completely understood what was happening with him. He felt bad and needed me to make it all better. If he could have he would have crawled into my body to that safe place where he originated. He didn't ask to nurse (which is his other safe place) and I didn't offer, though I know it would have helped. Instead I just allowed him to get as close to me as he needed to and we slept that way all night long, even though it wasn't so comfortable for me. It's these times when I know that I'm the only person in the world who can make it all better, that I wouldn't change for the world. No number of Ph.D.s, amount of money, or truck loads of shoes could take the place of that bond that we have. The need he has for me and the fact that I instinctively understand exactly what he's feeling. It's a beautiful thing.

I had a commitment this morning at 7:30 AM and had to be out of the house before Aidan woke up. I went in to watch him sleep, he was perfectly peaceful. He was laying on his back, halfway covered up, his chest moving up and down in perfect rhythm. Every once in a while he would move a limb or smack his lips. Jason tells me that he didn't have such a good morning after waking. Apparently he was off to school within 20 minutes of getting up, which always stresses him out. Then Jason had to enter the school twice because he forgot something, so Aidan had to say goodbye twice. Hopefully the rest of the day went better. He hates to be rushed-- just like his father!