Fish Night Lights and Other Things that Glow
I was laying beside my son last night, waiting for him to fall asleep, watching his fish night light. This light (one we spent a better part of 20 minutes picking from the rest of the various critters, gadgets, and pretty butterflies that promise to brighten a child's room and scare away and monster, shadow who's contemplating a stray movement, and any other object deemed as today's scary item) is a new item. I did, indeed, have a nice glow and one that did filter to every corner of his room- unlike his old, less obtrusive one that barely lit the corner where it had its outlet. It made him feel safer, and indeed sleep somewhat longer stretches in the early night hours- so I was okay with its oversized fins, and big protruding head. It made my baby happy- as well as brought out more of his imagination in five minutes than I could in an hour.
This fish now has a name (commonly, Fishey), who gets waves good bye each morning before school, and little "Hi Fishey" comments throughout the day. It also have made itself part of the bedtime routine that used to take me a good hour or so to get my son to fall asleep. Now, as we turn on Fishey, it is understood bedtime (meaning eyes closed sleep time) will be happening in a matter of 15 minutes (and on a bad night 20).
This is a relief to me, as I now get at least a little bit of *me* time in the evenings (well, that is if dinner dishes were cleaned u, laundry manageable, and I don't have other household duties to attend to). And, for some other unknown, magical reason, he seems to be sleeping better throughout the night a little better. No, not THROUGH the night, but better. I mean, yes we take him in bed with us if we are in bed and he wakes- but he isn't asking to nurse or waking up screaming and trembling (which was the case a whole 3 weeks ago).
It seems Fishey has take the terror out of night time for my little guy. And given mom some new energy. Been able to continue my latest novel venture and query more agents (yet again). And also catch up on some household chores (sort of).
Something must be working right, or I have found a balance that is working for me, because on more than one occasion today a co-worker told me I look rested (how could that be?), and one even said glowing. No, I am not pregnant- that I am sure of- so the glow must be a contentness (or something). Both comments took me aback and, one could argue, surprised me. In my 29 years I don't ever remember hearing that from anyone (okay, I think my mom told me I had the pregnancy glow once- but who counts that when you are 7 months pregnant and moving into a new house... of course I'd have a redness about me in the Illinois summers).
Anyway, it was a nice compliment (I think). And I must admit, I do feel a little more at peace lately. Maybe it is because I am getting up one less time a night, or maybe it is because I am letting work crap slide off my back, or maybe it is just because I have adjusted to life as it is (at the moment). Or, again, one could argue, Fishey has added a little brightness into my life too.
This fish now has a name (commonly, Fishey), who gets waves good bye each morning before school, and little "Hi Fishey" comments throughout the day. It also have made itself part of the bedtime routine that used to take me a good hour or so to get my son to fall asleep. Now, as we turn on Fishey, it is understood bedtime (meaning eyes closed sleep time) will be happening in a matter of 15 minutes (and on a bad night 20).
This is a relief to me, as I now get at least a little bit of *me* time in the evenings (well, that is if dinner dishes were cleaned u, laundry manageable, and I don't have other household duties to attend to). And, for some other unknown, magical reason, he seems to be sleeping better throughout the night a little better. No, not THROUGH the night, but better. I mean, yes we take him in bed with us if we are in bed and he wakes- but he isn't asking to nurse or waking up screaming and trembling (which was the case a whole 3 weeks ago).
It seems Fishey has take the terror out of night time for my little guy. And given mom some new energy. Been able to continue my latest novel venture and query more agents (yet again). And also catch up on some household chores (sort of).
Something must be working right, or I have found a balance that is working for me, because on more than one occasion today a co-worker told me I look rested (how could that be?), and one even said glowing. No, I am not pregnant- that I am sure of- so the glow must be a contentness (or something). Both comments took me aback and, one could argue, surprised me. In my 29 years I don't ever remember hearing that from anyone (okay, I think my mom told me I had the pregnancy glow once- but who counts that when you are 7 months pregnant and moving into a new house... of course I'd have a redness about me in the Illinois summers).
Anyway, it was a nice compliment (I think). And I must admit, I do feel a little more at peace lately. Maybe it is because I am getting up one less time a night, or maybe it is because I am letting work crap slide off my back, or maybe it is just because I have adjusted to life as it is (at the moment). Or, again, one could argue, Fishey has added a little brightness into my life too.
