Goodnight Will

This is one of those posts that may not be especially interesting to blog visitors, but shares some memories that we'll want to revisit in the future.

One of the biggest changes in our lives as parents has been the two-fold transition of Will sleeping with us to sleeping in his crib, and from waking up every few hours to waking up just once or twice in the night. This evening, friends asked us over dinner what we do when Will falls asleep in his car seat. We were reminded that just a few short weeks ago our answer would have been to put him - car seat and all - in our bed between us! They admitted that they are encouraging their breastfed daughter to drink from a bottle by drinking from a bottle, themselves, so that she can model after them. We felt better about bringing the car seat to bed. My, how things have changed for us!

While to say that the extra sleep is welcome is an understatement to say the least, as a parent you sort of feel like you're no longer quite so essential. We're sure that this is the first of many times that we will feel this way, and are enjoying the fact that this transition is not accompanied by a withering age-11-going-on-21 look inferring, "Whatever, Mom and Dad."

Will's current bedtime routine includes changing into cozy footie pajamas, relaxing with a bottle and having Goodnight Moon read to him in his room. He's figured out how to turn the pages (it's the board book version - he hasn't graduated to paper just yet!), but also makes a habit of nibbling on the corners of the book as we read through it.

As he's settling into sleep, he lifts his legs toward his head and thwaps them back down on the mattress several times. With his typical flair for the dramatic, when he's really ready to sleep, he does a final leg thwap, tosses his head to his left, and flings his arms out to his sides, accompanied by a big sigh. He's now figured out that if he throws his legs to the side a bit while lifting and lowering them, he can turn himself around. So, when we go into check on him, we are finding him turned all sorts of different directions these days. Watching this activity is sort of like watching a helicopter rotor move in very slow motion, and yes, I do sit and watch sometimes.

I remember seeing him on the ultrasound just before he was born. At the time, I commented on how peaceful he looked, noting that this would probably be the last time I would be saying that for a few years! A friend emailed me to reassure me that even though there would be many sleepless nights for all of us in the beginning, I would see him that peaceful sooner rather than later. She was right. I love to watch him sleep. I love his stillness and breathing. I love to wonder what he's dreaming about.