A moratorium

All I want for Christmas is... a moratorium on questions about Cole's sleeping habits. He's going to sleep the way he's going to sleep until he decides to sleep differently, and there's nothing I can do to control it. But I still reserve the right to write about it.  Yes, it may make me tired and maybe I appear haggard or sleepy, but, really, why do people want to know about his sleeping habits? Before baby, no one ever asked me, "Hey, Bianca, are you sleeping through the night yet?" And if they had, I would've said: "No actually, only on rare occasions do I sleep through the night. I wake up for any number of reasons: to pee, drink some water, eat a snack, stare at the clock, worry about work, try to forget my bad dream... you get the picture. But thanks for asking." The only difference between Cole's and my night waking is that I don't cry.

I've heard and followed most of the well meaning advice followed by the question: "So, is he sleeping through the night, yet?" We've moved him to the crib so he doesn't "smell me."  We've given him formula and rice cereal. The only thing we haven't done and will not do is let him "cry it out." We let him fuss, but when I hear my baby in obvious distress with real tears and cries, I go to him. It means he needs something, it does NOT mean he's trying to manipulate me.

Let's face it. My son is different than other children. Lots of other children begin sleeping through the night at an early age. The age varies depending on the person telling me. I'm happy for their children, and I'm happy for them. But my child is wired differently. He wakes up every two hours like clockwork, and, although it may annoy, upset, or exhaust me, it is what it is. While I have appreciated the advice at the time it was given, none of it has worked. So it leaves me feeling frustrated and inadequate. But I refuse to let what others say have power over me. So I am taking the bull by the horns and declaring - here and now - the aforementioned moratorium.