You're fast asleep, sleeping the sleep that only an exhausted mom can sleep, when you hear it. Your baby is crying. At first it's faint. But as the clouds of consciousness slowly part, you have to admit: You are not hearing things. This is not a dream. Your baby really has woken up. And you -- or someone -- has to do something about it. Arghh! Again?!? Here are all the thoughts we have when the baby wakes up in the middle of the night.
Denial: Maybe it's just a cat? Yeah, it's probably just a cat outside. We'll go with that.
Irritation: Ugh, it's definitely my baby crying, not a cat. So annoying ... I was fast asleep. This is so very inconvenient for me. I just want to keep sleeping. I NEED to keep sleeping.
Shame and Panic: I am the worst, most selfish mom ever for feeling annoyed -- what if something's seriously wrong? OMG, what's wrong with my baby? Is she sick? Tangled in the bedding? Scared?
The Pep Talk: Okay, seriously, I need to get out of bed now. What would Olivia Pope do? She'd say, "It's handled!" and get her ass out of bed. Also, she wouldn't have a baby.
Resentment: You know, it's really irritating how the baby's crying always wakes me up, but my husband consistently snoozes through it like he has selective hearing or something.
Moment of Clarity: Hey, wait a minute! It's my husband's turn to get the baby. YAAAS! I will wake him now.
What are your thoughts and feelings when your baby wakes up in the middle of the night?
Image via Valentina Powers/Flickr