Let sleeping babies lie, apparently.
by Karla ° Thursday, August 30, 2007
Before going to bed last night I went to check on Nate and I found him asleep with a blanket over his face.

I know blankets aren’t exactly known for their ability to create a hermitically airtight seal, but seeing his head covered freaked me out and I rushed over and yanked the blanket off his face.

I must have startled him because his eyes sprung wide open and he started wailing.

Feeling really bad for disturbing his sleep, I picked him up to try and soothe him. But it was too late. The damage was done. He was mad and he was not afraid to let me know just how mad he was.

My first form of defence when he cries is my boobs. It’s like breaking out the big guns, only mine are more like small pistols with a built in baby silencer.

When I tried to offer him my breasts as a truce, he just swatted them out of his face exactly the same way you would swat a fly buzzing around your head. Like, AS IF I would burden him with my boobs right in the middle of his very important baby tantrum.

So I tried rocking and cuddling him instead, but he remained mad.

Next I tried pacing the floor with him, but this caused his anger to elevate to arm flailing rage status.

I finally resorted to swinging and bouncing, but this only caused him to flail his arms more dramatically. Which was directly proportional to the increased volume of his screaming.

Finally, spent and exhausted, I laid him back down in his crib. After a few screams of protest, he noticed his blanket, let out a squeal of content, and pulled it back over his face.

And then all was silent.

And he slept peacefully ever after.

The end.

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Comments:


That always freaked me out, too. It only bothered me, though, b/c they all seemed to love it. Cole smashes his face against the side of his crib now, where the bumper is, and that freaks me out, too. I'm just sure that he is smooshing his nose shut and suffocating, and not even knowing it!

That's the cutest thing that he squealed happily, though. Maybe he'll be like Taryn. She can't go to sleep w/o her "blankie" anymore, and half the time you have to hunt it down, b/c she's been carrying it around the house w/her all day!
Posted by Blogger Christi :  August 30, 2007
 

My baby (now 2 yrs-old) always loved the blanket at or over his face when sleeping. And like you, it freaked me out. I got so when I would lay him down, even if it was a little warm for a blanket, I'd still put a cuddly blanket up over one of his cheeks. This usually was enough for him. And it was a ton better than covering his whole face.
Posted by Blogger oshee :  August 30, 2007
 

I solved the problem of him liking a blanket over his face while sleeping by using a blanket that had been crocheted by his great-aunt. Holes!
Posted by Blogger Gina :  August 30, 2007
 

My little guy loves the blanket over his face too. I got into the habit of not checking on him, I'd make my husband!

Scary but whatever works, ya know!
Posted by Blogger Donna :  August 30, 2007
 

brandon is the same way only he loses his shit completely if i put the blanket any where near him! LOSES HIS SHIT MAN! the story made me giggle though and nater is getting soooooo freaking cute and looks a lot like you but a lot like hubby and every day i change my mind about who he looks more like
 

I checked on my 5 year old the other morning and he had his quilt up over his face. Now he's 5 and I still pulled it away. The fear never diminishes.
Posted by Blogger Kate :  August 30, 2007
 

WHOA. That boy sure does know what he wants and how to communicate to get it. ;)
Posted by Blogger Keri :  August 30, 2007
 

I totally know the fear, and where it is coming from but your story made me laugh!! Hugs to you Karla!!
Posted by Anonymous Anonymous :  August 30, 2007
 

This cracked me up! :) I used to babysit a baby boy who couldn't sleep without his blanket on his face. As far as I know, he's entering first grade this year :).
Posted by Blogger Pam :  August 30, 2007
 

Blankets over a baby's face used to freak me out, but not so much anymore.... doesn't mean I don't have a freak attack when I come to pick Emilee up from the church nursery and find her sleeping with a blanket over her head.

I totally understand, Karla!
Posted by Blogger Unknown :  August 30, 2007
 

Thats nothing - I was so insane, I used to try to turn Porgie from her belly to her back. I woke her up EVERY damn time. Eventally, I gave up. Now she sleeps any old way she pleases.
Posted by Blogger Christy :  August 30, 2007
 

My daughter sleeps that way, too and she is now 5 years old. I remember one time we were at my sister's house and she was 6 months old, asleep in a pack-and-play in a room where people walked through. My brother-in-law saw her asleep like that and ripped the blanket off of her. I was mad because that meant no nap for her and of course, I had to deal with crabby baby. I know I should be glad my bil is observant and caring for his niece and all, but I was still annoyed!/ I guess he just didn't know, that's how she sleeps! This is the same sister and bil who removed every single darn thing from their babies' cribs. My mom used to say their cribs looked like baby prison cells.
Posted by Anonymous Anonymous :  August 31, 2007
 

I am just stopping by to say hello and to tell you how glad I am to see that you now have Nate in your life. I used to read your blog when you were expecting Ava. I never commented because my words always sounded so trite.
I am so very glad that there is such a wonderful piece of joy in your life now.
My son is almost 12 and still sleeps this with the bankets over his head. I occasionally go in an take the blankets off but he manages to pull them back over his head again. My daughter is the opposite and I can cover her up 100 times a night and she will kick them off 101. I just let them both do their ownthing now. A lot more sleep for Mom!
Again. So very happy for you.
Posted by Blogger BarbaraMG :  August 31, 2007
 

I remember when Lucy was around three months and we were constantly fighting with her to go to sleep, rocking and bouncing and swaying and singing.

Finally, in a moment of frustration, I just put her down and left the room, expecting screams.

That baby fell asleep so fast I thought there was something wrong.

Nope. Turns out she just didn't like all the effort -- since then we just put her down and off she goes.

Oh, and she NEEDS her blankie to go asleep. She shoves her face in it, rubs it, kisses it. I figure anything that offers her that much comfort is not worth fighting over.
Posted by Anonymous Anonymous :  August 31, 2007
 

oh dude I almost peed my pants reading this post.....Apparently he knows what makes him mad!! lol don't worry ur just being a good mom hahaha he knew he would get pissed lol
Posted by Blogger Unknown :  August 31, 2007
 

I kid you not, I had the EXACT same thing happen with Zander. He has the blanker he calls his Goggie (long story!). When he was around Nate's age, he all of a sudden was pulling it over his face all of the time. I HATED it! It really freaked me out.

It wasn't until I performed the "mommy test"...I wrapped his Goggie tightly around my face and made sure I could still breathe...and I could.

He still sleeps with it, but now he just clutches it and holds it up to his face when he's sleeping...no more face-covering going on!

BTW, oh my GAWD! Nate just gets more and more gorgeous every day!
Posted by Blogger Cate :  September 01, 2007
 

My son is 2 almost 3 and I still freak out if I see something over his face. I think its a normal mommy reaction. Little Nate is so adorable!!
Posted by Anonymous Anonymous :  September 01, 2007
 


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