Battle of the wills...

You might think this post is about this...



It's not. Though I certainly lost that yummy battle.

It's actually about him...




Yeah yeah I know he is cute, but that is completely beside the point.

If you are a Momma you know what I mean when I say that babies have different cries. Figuring them out can often be a challenge. After awhile you get the hang of it, sometimes. Then they throw you a new one and the challenge begins again.

We struggle with sleep. Aiden is and has always been a terrible sleeper. Hunger, extreme fatigue, allergies, temperature, location, teething...all throw him off. We are of the no cry persuasion. I know, I know. Before you tell me the hundreds of reasons why it is not a good idea let me go ahead and tell you that I know all the reasons. I also know that for our family, and for Aiden, it was the right choice. In the early months of his life we were very focused on bonding. We did lots of holding, he slept in our room, and he wasn't left with babysitters. We wanted to be certain that he knew who Momma and Dadda were, who took care of him, that we were here to stay, and that we loved him. Spoiled, maybe. Though I don't think a little extra love and cuddling can spoil a kid. Too many toys, now that is another story.

We have had a lot of sleepless nights in the last few months as he has cut his molars and been plagued with allergies. It has not been easy.

Last night was an exception. You could tell by his cry. 4:30 a.m. found me finding the paci, giving a sippy of water and a few books, and explaining that it was simply not time to wake up yet. Oh the crying, or screaming rather. But that cry was clear as day, not pain but simple anger. He wanted us to know that he was NOT happy that we didn't get him up to play.

We got the point and it became a battle of the wills. He got the point too. Then his cry changed. I know he was tired and he got confused, maybe a little unsure. He almost went back to sleep, almost.

Each night is an adventure. For today, nap time will be early, and Momma will be tired. I guess I will just have to steal a few extra snuggles!