This Phase S***s

I take it all back. Apparently I didn't knock on wood enough last week when I wrote the post about how wonderful Nicholas is right now and how much fun this phase is. He has been up in the middle of the night 5 nights out of the last 8. Our theories are either that the fluctuating temperatures are waking him or that he is having bad dreams based on the fact that he gets much more freaked out about noises these days. (He is petrified of the chopping noises the downstairs neighbors make. Granted, it really does sound like there is a monster trying to get out of our kitchen cabinets, so I can't blame him.)

Whatever the cause, he is no longer reliably sleeping through the night. Some nights he has only needed me to go in and reassure him, rock him for 3 minutes, and then he was fine to go back to sleep. Last Saturday night he was up 3 different times before he finally stayed down. On Tuesday it was so bad that he eventually ended up sleeping in bed with me and Joe slept on the couch. That night he screamed bloody murder and clung to us for dear life if we walked near his crib and insisted on touching me while he fell asleep, reaching his fingers and toes out to find me if I edged away thinking he was asleep.

So far tonight he has already cried twice, although he got himself back to sleep both times. We are all tired.

**I don't actually take it all back. Nicholas is still wonderful and daytime hours are delightful (well, most of the time). This proclamation is intended only to ward off whatever crazy karma I courted last week.**

Yes, this phase is awful. Hear that, whoever it is who listens to wood knocking, looks for salt being thrown, and checks for crossed fingers?????