Slowly, I’m beginning to understand what Alex goes through in a given day. Yes, I am a father and I do try to take an active part of my child’s life. But reality is, I’m at work most of the wee one’s waking day. Two to three hours is the best I can hope for on average.
Tonight was not average. I’ve been up since sometime late in the hour of 3; Alex an hour earlier than that. Sleep has not been our friend tonight.
Why no-one slept is not known. After a night feed, the baby usually goes down like a tonne of bricks and we’re all good until morning. But the wee one cried. Whether it was due to teething (which she’s beginning to go through), stomach ailments (she burped a few times, but that could also be due to crying), things that went bump in the night (we’re having a good windstorm), or “other” is unknown.
Alex, the Master of Zen Calm, managed to bring peace back to the house. I think I now know the kind of silence generals used to speak of, when the cannons ceased their roaring and gunfire stopped. It’s almost unearthly. And amazingly wonderful.
Doesn’t change the fact that I have to get ready to go to work in a little while, and my best friend today is going to be caffeinated teas (sorry, Alex, but I have to concentrate on work, and yawning every five minutes just doesn’t work for me).
I just hope Alex and baby get some sleep.
