SLEEPLESSSSS!!!

Hi, just wish to blog this down so I remember one of the worse nights putting Jovann to bed. Sigh...he's been having sleeping problems. This boy has slept through the night since a few days before he turned 4 months. Then at 1yr old, he started waking up, but in 1-2 mths, it resumed back to sleeping through. on and off he will wake up, but we have grown used to it. During my 8 weeks of pregnancy, he will wake up middle of the night and want to sleep in our bed, snuggle close to me, so close I can smell his sweet breathe, and contentedly fall asleep. And now, at my 15.5 weeks, he is doing something worse...well....not totally terrible lah, but to a sleep deprived pregnant mum and an overworked sleep deprived daddy, there were better times. He's been waking up middle of the night, crying in his cot. sometimes we managed to put him down in his cot to sleep again after carrying him, soothing him by switching on lights, feeding water, and patting his backside till our hands nearly fall off (he will point at his backside if we stop patting by the way). Sometimes, he will wanna go into our bed. We tell him, lets go to your bed. he will say "no...." then point at our bed and say "There.". If we attempt to put him into his cot, he will cling to us like koala bear with surprisingly strong leg muscles grip, and scream his lungs off. If we put him into our bed, he will STILL wake up middle of the night AGAIN, talk to himself, sit up, try to wake us up by leaning over us and peering into our eyes, laugh at something that crossed his mind, until he grew bored then fall back to sleep. But tossing and turning and KICKING all over the narrow space between hubby and me. quite dangerous for my tummy, and now i worry about lying on my left even though its the best position for preggies, coz J is on my left.

Sorry, I digressed. Back to what happened last night. Jovann had a 5-in-1 booster jab that morning. Daddy went out for a night of golf. Not on the green, just a much needed driving range workout. Mommy at home alone with J and maid, whom btw is only helpful (where sleep is concerned) in making milk.

8.50pm - Daddy left house. Sent him off at the door to let J know Daddy wun be home to put him to bed, so pls dun ask for him.
9pm - Milk in bed (note, already given a nice warm shower, nice organic massage and changed into PJs). Read books.
9.15pm - Stop drinking milk. Sat him on my lap and cuddle in the dimmed room, reading 2 of his current fav books to him.
9.25pm - Brush teeth.
9.30-9.45pm - Want me to carry, refused to be put into bed (he USUALLY not like that). but eventually, when I know he is ready, asked him "lets go bed bed", he looked up at me and subtly nod his head. Put him down in cot, assume sleeping position. Lights off.
9.50pm - Lay down in my own bed, pat his bum bum, sing to him. seems like he falling asleep (he usually fall asleep this way, at this time). Then suddenly sat up, crying as if scared. calling "ma ma" and saying "bao bao". I let him be for a while, sometimes he give up and lie down. but tonight it grew louder. Carry him up, he made the sign of "water". Brought him out to prepare water for him. came into room to drink.

Then, from 10pm - 11pm (can't rem timing of the following events, but they are in sequence)
- carrying him, tell me wants milk milk. (?????) he didn't finish his milk just now, and maid has washed bottle. Maid busy washing clothes, so brought him out to make 120ml of milk.
He drank in his cot, I lay on my bed.
- Left 50ml but passed bottle to me. turn around, hug bolster and pooh bear, prepared to sleep. eyes closed, i gradually stopped patting.
- quiet for a while.......shld be sleeping, all's still. i prepare to get up. Then.....he sat up, crying for me. rubbing his chest/tummy, dunno what. but in retrospect i think its tummy. Cry as if in much discomfort. pointed at his diapers behind. Sign that he wish to poo poo. NOW???????
- Brought him to toilet, he pooed quite a bit. HOW MUCH DID MY MIL FEED HIM THIS TIME? touched his tummy, it was super bloated and hard. suspect indigestion. He is so happy sitting on the toilet bowl he REFUSED to get up. Asked if "done done?", he said "no". Asked "wash up, go sleep", he said "no...". Asked "wash up, mommy rub ru yi oil on your tummy". He looked at me interestedly and didn't reply. When tried to carry him up, cried. Decided maybe he not done. Put him back. but after 5mins, no signs of more poo. So carried him up again, screamed bloody murder at me. ignore his cries, wash him up, still crying, carry him to wear diapers, still screaming his head off.
- Gave him a warm rub rub on his tummy with ru yi oil. his hands all over the plc. brought him to wash hands, he cry.
- Carry him to room, soothe him for a while in my arms. He kept pointing at the bedroom door, saying "Open". I said no, he cry. He say "daddy". I said daddy not home, you sleep oredi he will come home. He kept protesting. (Note: He is closer/stickier to me than he is to Daddy. but somehow on nights like this it appears that toddlers are fickle)
- Pointed at bedroom phone. kept pointing. I asked he wants to call Daddy? He nod his head.
- Called hubby on the room phone, J held the receiver and kept calling "dad dad..... dadDad....DAd DAD.... DADDAD", with each cry sounding more plaintive. Daddy talking and soothing him all the while over the phone. Nodding his head when hubby asked him to be good boy and go sleep. hang up.
- Carry him up.....quiet for a while, then cry again. pointed at our wedding collage, pointing at Daddy's 2-3 photos and going "dad dad". asked him wheres mommy....and he actually said "where is it???", slowly find and eventually pointed at one photo where my hair is let down. HHmmph. seems like now I dun look like most of the photos??? *FUME*.
- Distracted him by walking away, wanted to call Daddy again. Same routine repeated like prev phone call. Hubby promised he coming back soon liaoz.
- Carry him back, say going "bed bed". he said no. I resigned and said "sleep with mommy?", and he still say no. but made the sign for MILK!!!!! I know he is indigested, so shld not give more milk. When i told him no, drink water can? he cried. Asked maid to make 60ml just to please him. When maid making milk, he asked for water!!! sipped a bit. when milk come (maid chose this moment to comment that he ate too much thats why crying), he don't want it. good with me. But kept crying, but in betw crying his eyes were threatening to close....this boy is tired but refuse to sleep! looking at the door, calling my maids name, hubby's name, my name. everything.
- carried him up to soothe him. only when he get down to the floor to play with the hifi set's mini disc slot did he calmed down. played for 5mins while I just sat on the floor dazed and totally drained out. He played with the cordless phone too, pressing buttons. Carried him up, say "bed bed" firmly. I can't be bothered and am too tired at this point, so I said "sleep with mommy." he ok. but insisted on putting back the cordless phone himself first. Fine.
- Prepared the pillows, off the lights, he lie down. played with pooh bear for a while before he eventually decided to sleep.
11pm - SLEPT (an hour after his usual time!!!)
Middle of night - wake up, sat up, talk, kick me, ask me to hug him, put his head on my chest and insisted on sharing my pillow so I cannot turn.

One of the worse sleeping nights I have ever had. When hubby rushed home around 11.10pm, he felt so bad and made milo for me and brought me the supper I heated up in the steamer.

GOSH.

Firm decision to train him off this. Give him leeway tonight coz of his morning jab. Traumatised?
We cannot sleep like this throughout my pregnancy.

I need some enlightenment.