It’s back: My 3-year-old daughter’s nighttime twin.
It’s funny that this happened Sunday night because I was JUST THINKING on Saturday, “Wow, it’s been weeks since my daughter has thrown a fit at night.”
Guess again.
It all started back in November. I don’t know what kicked it off, but suddenly my slumbering daughter would wake up screaming at night. And fussing. And yelling, “I want my mommy,” even though I was right there trying to calm her. I tried ignoring it. I tried cuddling her. I tried threats - “Stop, or I’m leaving.” But finally, I came to realize she wasn’t awake.
This isn’t a surprise. My husband and son both sleep walk. I still suffer from night terrors. So it makes since that my daughter would have the same issues.
But then, as suddenly as it came on, it stopped. I don’t know when, but I think it was early April. I don’t know why. But for the last few weeks, when she has awaken at night, she’s quietly crawled in bed with me. Sometimes I put her back. Sometimes I let her sleep.
I’m hoping the other night was a fluke and we’re not going down that path again. Those were miserable weeks of not sleeping through the night. Maybe it started because my husband and I were stressed during those months about maybe - or maybe not - buying a house (we didn’t). And maybe it’s returned now because we’re remodeling our home and it’s in a bit of disarray. Or maybe the neighbor’s dog barked at the same time each night.
I’m just praying that, like her brother who used to throw fits at night, it’ll stop. But then I’ll just have to worry about the sleeping walking.
