Well, Here it is five hours into 2011 and I am already awake. This isn't typically what I want as my wake up time, but I have a sleep problem: my son, Aidan. Alright, he has the sleep issues, but I find that since I get the opportunity to be awake with him; they are also mine. :-p
Aidan usually won't fall asleep until around 11 pm, even if he gets up early and does his routine and is in bed by 9:30 pm. Somedays start like today, at 4 am. Luckily, this isn't everyday; at least not so far this year. So far this year I have been able to sleep until around 7 am or 8 am most days. LAST YEAR.. way different. There were nights we didn't sleep at all. I won't drug my kids up, so we tried melatonin, vitamin D, and sleepy-time teas. Which did work.. sometimes.
Right now, he is taking laps around the living room with intervals of stopping to put a few megabloks together; finished by dismantling the pieces, throwing them, and continuing the marathon. All I hope is that he can hold this up quietly until he passes out on the couch (unlikely) or until his sister, Jasmyn, wakes up, so I can make more noise by making coffee and breakfast. It's best if she sleeps until closer to 8 am, as she has a MAJOR anger issue when she doesn't get enough sleep. I've heard that's typical for 2 year olds, though.
Aww, he stopped the super run for a quick hug! I treasure hugs so much. I didn't always get them. Aidan used to be completely lost to me and everyone.. even when he was melting down. Melt downs are different that tantrums. With tantrums, a child is typically looking for some reaction to their anguish with a possible specific outcome they are hoping for in the mean time. That's not the case with a melt down; there is no reassurance, no hopeful out come aside from hoping the meltdown ends.. soon. It can be over anything.. too much noise, a break in routine, a texture issue, not feeling well, sensory overload, just "because". Most of the time I can't really help him get through it and the only way to get him to calm down is to let him have some alone time in his room so he can get it out without so much sensory input.
My first real Aidan hug was in 2008 while we were going through the Rhododendron park with a friend of mine. My friend took a picture and it is my desktop.. it's the best picture I have. When you have to wait close to 3 years to get a real hug from your child, you treasure it differently than if it came easier.. I think. This has also made me much more aware of what Jasmyn does; like pointing at things. I think I did a dance when she did it for the first time. I was concerned that she would be autistic too, but I am sure that's not an issue anymore. Not that life won't already give her a new, different, and sometimes difficult life to live; having an autistic brother. She's spunky, though, so I think she will have what it takes to be different than the other kids. I call her Jazzy. I think it fits. She belts out in loud, out of tune song and dance all the time. We take turns pretending to be devastated by "something". She says hi to everyone and everything at the grocery store.. and everyone talks to her. I think that shopping probably takes an extra half hour or so just because of her "conversations"! The video below is of the kids enjoying the Elmo Crack they got for the holidays. It starts out mostly mellow, but it's obvious they will need a 12 step program towards the end! :-p
OMG I am TIRED!! Time to do other things. It's taken me close to an hour and a half to write this, hehe. I hope this isn't the start of the 2011 Winter Insomnia Games. I HOPE this is a fluke.. and he goes back to not sleeping until late, but sleeping all night when he gets there. I'll take the compromise.
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