It's good to be alive and here


My little lady is on a cycle of waking up at between 3 and 4am, every night. We don't know what causes it so I don't know what to change to fix it.
All I can do is go into her room with my quilt and pillow and lay down beside her and try to encourage her to lie still and go back to sleep.
Ignoring her just leads to an extremely energetic session of bed jumping (note to self: get 3 new slats for bed) and squealing along to Elmo in Grouchland.

Thanks to our recent attic conversion* we rearranged the bedrooms so that Bratski now has the room furthest from everyone else. So I have attempted some control over her behavior as her screaming doesn't have as much power as it did when she was in the box room next to our horrible neighbors.
But there are limits to one's behavioural analysis techniques at 4 o'clock in the morning, and until David Coleman takes up my invitation to sleep over; Going into her room and falling asleep to the sound of Elmo and Huxley, is the "plan".
And yes I do want Huxley to win. I want to throw Elmo from the train by this stage.





As a woman for whom the words 3 and A.M should only ever be uttered in the context of an airport and a very big aeroplane - this has been somewhat trying. But I am getting used to it, and in the morning, once I can make sense of what is real and what was a hallucination/dream, I can get on with the day.

Other than that, The Brat is flying - she not only uses the iPhone to scroll through albums of pecs pictures that I have loaded; she grabbed the phone yesterday to take a photograph of something she had googled on the laptop!
Actually held it up and tried to focus on the little Fimble yoke that she was missing. So she could request it. Kid is a genius. Sure you'd have to get up really early in the morning to outsmart her - wait, that's what we do!

xx

*Wicklow County Council put us through 2 1/2 years of an application process to get a grant to do this attic - which they approved in 2008. We built it to their exact specs at considerable additional cost 6 months ago - and they still haven't paid up.
**st***s

Comments

Jean said…
Lisa I sooo hope you get a good night's sleep soon...thankfully it's not a big issue with our little ASD man, but we had a nightmare for years with our oldest son (who is neurotypical)...lack of sleep is tough with a capital T. Hope you're getting a little me-time during the day XXX
Anonymous said…
My gosh, I wonder what prompted this change ... how wearing. Hope it passes soon. Can't be good for either of you to keep such odd hours.
Nan P. said…
Lack of sleep is the worst thing! Being woken up in the middle of the night, night after night, is the "Worstest" of all.

I feel for you, and hope she settles back to a sleepier routine soon.

I can't do much, so I'm using my usual remedy here: sending you a Big Hug!
Tricia said…
Hopefully this will be a short phase! And the council needs to pay up, esp. considering the additional costs.
Sister Wolf said…
It sounds like some kind of tectonic shift...she is learning and processing so much, it could be interfering with her sleep/body clock or whatever it's called.

It will pass. xoxoxo
Casdok said…
I wont tell you how long Cs phase of waking at an unearthly hour lasted! And lots count of the number of slats! Actually gave up with beds and he now has 3 mattresses piled on top of each other.
Clive said…
Nothing worse than lack of sleep. Hope this phase doesn't last too long and you can start getting a decent night sleep.
Lisamaree said…
Jean: just chatting to another ASD mum whose "normie" gives her sleep hell. They should call the maternity ward "Nessun Dorma"
Sal: thankyou. Coping just.
NanP: yes, it is making me tired and emotional!
Fashion H: thanks for dropping in! A touch of midtown on my little blog.
SW: nice theory,. Hope you are right!
Clive: thankyou!!!
jazzygal said…
How frustrating Hammie. Lack of sleep is just the worst.

Love the video... Lady bratski has great taste! I'd even wake up at 3 am to see that!

Emmm....dare I ask?? Is that what she's doing?? Maybe it didn't start it off BUT she now knows if she wakes up... and stays awake.... she gets Elmo every night??? Easy for me to say, I know and what to do about it to break the cycle?? A viscious circle.

I hope she starts sleeping again very soon.

You take care...xoxoxoxox
I pity the Wicklow County Council official that encounters the wrath of a sleep deprived Hammie...should I start watching the Irish series of COPS?
Seeker said…
Hope things are better now, lovely.
Sorry for my absence, things haven't been very well here too.

All my love and good vibes.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxxo
~Tessa~Scoffs said…
Haven't visited in a while (computer problems, etc.). Just had a nice long read -- your gorgeous ones are looking so grown up! Hope you get some decent sleeps soon.
P.S. love her video reviews in ALL CAPS! I can't say why it amuses me but it does.
Jules said…
Hope that everything will be ok soon. Have a good blessed day Hammie.=D

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WendyB said…
You must be pooped. :-(