It was a rough night, but Elliot did better than I expected. He was exhausted after several hours at the Arapahoe County Fair. He fell asleep fast even after the excitement of seeing his new bed, blanket, sheets, pillow, and “Chase” stuffy. I lined both sides of the bed with throw pillows in case he fell out of bed in the night. I had to sleep next to him on the floor. It was about 9:30, an hour later than usual.
After an hour, I got up and went to my bedroom. About midnight, I heard him crying. I ran to him. He was sitting up, crying. He was sweating profusely. Too many blankets. I hugged him, soothed him, comforted him, gave him the “vuvs”.
“Did you have a bad dream?”
“Yeah!”
More crying. Then he says, “I want to go home.”
“But you are home.” I paused, then added, “Do you want mama?”
“Yeah!”
My heart sank to think that he did not consider this home, and he wanted mama’s soothing more than mine. But I didn’t let it show. I kept at it. I offered him the “Chase” and sting-ray stuffies.
I said, “Do you want some water?” I was concerned about how how he was.
Through tears, “Yeah”
I said, “Right back, right back” — something he started to say last year — and left the room, got a glass of water, and fed it to him.
After a while he settled down, but he wanted to sleep on the floor in my arms. Instead, I lay on the tiny toddler bed with him. It was pretty uncomfortable. He fell asleep. I went back to my bed, but could not fall asleep for a very long time.
He woke up once more towards morning. I went to him, carried him with his Paw Patrol pillow and blanket to my bed, and we fell asleep together for another hour or two. We woke up two hours later than usual.
We did it!! I told Elliot several times how proud I was of him, kissed him, praised him. I think it will get easier each night.
