Daddy's Gift

My husband has a gift.

Ok, he has many gifts (I can tell you he's blushing this now while reading this), but the gift I am talking about is his baby soothing gift.

Monkey isn't that baby that will fall asleep anywhere when he's over tired, he is a creature of habit and requires his crib or Daddy to sleep.  He also missed that memo that breastfed babies are suppose to fall asleep at the breast when they are full and content, instead he'd rather play when he's done.

4:30am this morning was a prime example.  After he ate he was ready to get up for the day.  That was so not happening.  So I called in the Big Guns, aka Husband.  When this happens we call it "patting the baby down", and we use this technique any time Monkey is fighting sleep.

To do this Husband tucks Monkey into one arm and pats his butt, firmly and rythmetically. (Hey, it's got to be firm to be felt through all those layers of butt fluff.)  Sometimes Monkey will protest cry for a few minutes, sometimes not at all.  Sometimes he falls right out, sometimes he fights it for nearly 30 minutes; but Husband is diligent and despite his hand condition pushes on.  Husband can get him to sleep this way in church in the Beco, sitting on the rocking chair or laying on the couch.  Monkey is no match for Daddy's Gift.

Other babies have fallen victim to this gift as well; and the look of amazement by other parents in always amazing.  Husband likes to say it's his version of Dr. Harvey Karp's Happiest Baby on the Block.  But no matter what you call it, it is a gift... and for that I am thankful.  (Now if only I could learn to fall back asleep at 4:30am as well.)