School is back

Frosts started back at school today after the end of summer vacation. Yes, it did have an end after all.

Wren had a bad night so I am thankful of a bit of a break today although Josh needed a ride to work as he is having a very busy week and left his bike there last night. There was a crash on 99 so it took forever to get downtown after dropping Frost at the front gate. It was a very different drop-off to this time last year. Last year I parked and stood at the gate (pregnant). Today, Wren was asleep in the carseat and Frost hopped out and ran in while I double parked.

He was dressed in a garish ensemble of pirate shorts, orange croc shoes and a tie-dyed shirt. It was his own selection which is a big step forward. Yesterday, we started a new 'reward' scheme which I have called "I can do it myself". He gets to list things he can do himself but seldom does and gets a star for doing them. If the stars accrue to an as-yet-undecided number he will get a prize.

Eg:
I can get dressed in the morning.
I can get my own water.
I can turn off the bath taps.
I can carry my plate to the kitchen.
I can go to the bathroom on my own (even out).

Wren, unfortunately, is not able to do much by himself. Last night he slept well until 2.49am and then nursed fine. While nursing the night-light bulb blew and the room became very dark. When he was done and drowsy I set him in his crib and within a second of darkness he freaked out and started screaming. Since nothing else was different I can only assume the dark frightened him. So I changed the nightlight bulb at 3.15am but by then he was all awake and agitated. I nursed him a bit more and soothed him but he was sure it was really time to get up and screamed. I went to lie down and he cried off and on until 4.15am. Meanwhile, I couldn't get back to sleep for a while due to THINKING about things such as "have I changed the batteries in the smoke alarms?" and "Did I put the night light bulb in straight or will it start smoking and the smoke alarm won't go off and Wren will suffocate and I won't know..."

He woke cranky at 5.45am and that was the night. These days I really appreciate the metaphor of "wrestling with sleep". Sleep is a visceral thing not a time of absence. I grasp its slithering form and drag into the swamp of dreams before it rears up again and I must once again struggle with its dark girth. OF course Frost had to have his contribution to my night(mare) by waking up with night terrors and crying and shaking and standing and sitting. Josh came in at that point and took him to pee. Apparently the need to pee wakes him enough to sit up and be disturbed but not into full consciousness. Since I am not in full consciousness either we make a fine pair.

Okay, off to Mom and Tot yoga for the first time.