We've all heard it. The inevitable maternal curse. "I hope you have kids that turn out just like you!" As I watch my siblings' children, I can't help but marvel at how much like they act like their parents at that age. I know that is only due to the maternal curse. I sincerely believe that if those words had never escaped our mother's mouth, that my nieces and nephews would have entirely different personalities. My own child is no exception and her behavior is a direct result of her grandmother's curse.
I have been told (and I think I can somewhat vaguely remember) that I had a tendency toward nocturnal activities when I was a toddler. According to my parents, there were many a night where they were awakened by the sound me rifling through my toy box looking for some late night/early morning entertainment.
Through the last 18 months, I have noticed that my own daughter has her own nocturnal activities. More than once I have awakened in the middle of the to hear her talking to herself in her crib. I usually listen for a while and go back to sleep. Sometimes I tell my parents about her antics and they have no sympathy because of what I apparently put them through too many times in the middle of the night. And that is precisely why I believe that the curse really works.
This morning the maternal curse came true. At 2am, I went to comfort my screaming darling and she was practically climbing out of her crib. I picked her up, thinking that she had a bad dream and I took her to the living room to the rccking chair. Nope. She wanted to play. So play we did. We had snacks, we watched cartoons and we took some Benadryl. It took an hour and a half for me to see her rub her little eyes. I had been waiting for that signal for the longest time! At the first hint of fatigue, I scooped her up and dumped her back where she belonged. I went back to bed and got a full 30 minutes of sleep before Bryan's alarm went off.
Tonight I hope she sleeps through the night but if she doesn't, we'll just do it all again because that is what the curse dictates. Maybe this time I'll get to watch what I want to watch. I'm not looking for sympathy, only making a point. It took 35 years for someone to pay for my parent's lack of sleep. So as far as my parents are concerned, there is justice for all.
3 comments:
The nocturnal tendencies don't seem to surprise me. It was you, that I enjoyed working graveyards with, and discovered my own nocturnal tendencis.
Thank you, Danielle! I work nights (seasonally) at IRS from about Feb-Jun. I'm still a night owl, but my ladybug wears me out during the day.
My mom still says, "I hope your children turn out just like you." I hate it when she says it because she is not being nice, she is being spiteful and it pisses me off. I have decided not to say the same thing to my children. I am trying to make a renewed effort to reinforce the good behavior.
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