Thursday, September 3, 2009

Poor Princess Fiona

Really I mean poor me. Fiona is having sleep troubles again, this isn't the first time I have blogged about it. Or even the second time. Before, it had to do with all of the drugs floating through her. I am not sure what the problem is this time.
Fiona has always had trouble sleeping. She started out as a difficult baby and always slept better when she wasn't alone. That didn't mean I slept better and after 3 months, she had to cry herself to sleep rather than sleeping with me because she kicked all night. Around the time she turned three and I guess came out of the cage, she started having problems again. Even sleeping with her sister wasn't good enough. I finally found a Disney Princess half tent that made her want to stay in bed all night. That lasted a few months and then she got sick and all sorts of rule flew out of the window.
In the past week, she started school, stopped sharing a bedroom with her sister again and got sick. I am sure that it was the trifecta of bad sleeping, but I am not sure what to do about it. I do know that I can't stand that during the past three out of four nights, I have been jolted out of sleep by someone shaking my arm. Seriously, she puts her fingers on my forearm sticking out of the covers and rattles it back and forth. The first night I put her back to bed, the second night I let her sleep on the floor of our room. The third night I actually made a bed on the floor in preparation for her and she slept through the night. Last night she came in totally terrified. She said she had a horrible nightmare and kept glancing around the room.
I have a few ground rules. She cannot climb into bed with us. She was too germy the first couple of nights and I do not share space well, just ask TD. Plus, I don't want her to get comfortable in our room. She can sleep on the floor, but I prefer her to stick to her bed. I do want her coming in if she's that terrified, but c'mon! Several nights in a week?
She wants Buttercup to move back in with her, but Buttercup has to be up an hour before she does and several times she has slept in, which Fiona wouldn't if she had to share a room.
I feel conflicted sometimes. What if something were to happen to her and I spent the last times with her making her go to bed alone or going to school when she only felt OK. Then again, she could be perfectly fine for the rest of her life and I could create a monster.
Any suggestions? She has a couple of nightlights, we have tried door shut, door open, I regularly check the closet for bad guys for her. She sleeps right next door to her sister and Moe is down the hall. I am at a loss and I am starting to get really sleepy all of the time. And when I get sleepy, I get bitter. It's kind of like the Incredible Hulk, you wouldn't like me when I am bitter.

2 comments:

ped crossing said...

No advice, but I always told my boys that "If you don't sleep, my love for you cannot grow." Sleep is a big priority for me. :)

JC said...

Girl I wish I had wonderful words of wisdom but we have battled this too with Grace who is now 4 but ever since she was born she has had me up through the night.. One thing that sort of helped was to spend time in her room 30min to an hour before bed.. picking up her things, adjusting the sheets, picking out what she will wear tomorrow.. reading books..then it seemed like she got her "fill" and would be satisfied to sleep through the night.. but NOT always.. and AS IF every night we are given the luxury of this 30 min to an hour with dishes to do, other kids to tend to, and a husband.. not to be selfish but when do we get our time? The joys of motherhood..