CIO Vs. No Cry

Sleep.

Before I became a mother, I used to hate napping during the day. I always felt like life was passing me by when I napped. So I did it rarely - usually if I had the flu or something. As the Boogster still wakes up at least twice every night, I nap when and where I can.

The Boogster, like I mentioned before, needs to be rocked or breastfed in order to fall asleep. I read that this is what is called a "sleeping-crutch" and that he needs to find a way to fall asleep on his own. I had only been told of the "Crying It Out" (CIO) method where you just let your baby cry himself to sleep. I tried it once, and NEVER again. I always thought it was either that or just suffer the backaches and sleep deprivation rocking Boogster back to sleep until he learnt to sleep on his own.

There seems to be light at the end of the tunnel though. I've come across "The No Cry Sleep Solution", a book by Elizabeth Pantley which I have just ordered from Amazon. I'm hoping it will help! I also came across Baby Center which has an article on the No Tears Method which has given me hope.

Must dash. Boogster is awake and dancing at me from the confines of his cot, with a big smile on his face. Now tell me, how can I let him cry himself to sleep?

Acquired Tastes

On my 18 and half birthday, a very close friend of mine gave me a copy of U2's Achtung Baby. I remember this very clearly because he also gave another close friend a copy of the soundtrack to The Piano. I remember this for two reasons:

1. I wanted the soundtrack to The Piano.
2. I wanted the soundtrack to The Piano.

He scrawled a note across the sleeve that said: "For your 18 and half birthday, something to remember me by when you are making a pot roast and I have a pot belly." At the time - and I didn't tell him this - I just thought U2 were noise and that Bono couldn't sing. And then one day, after listening to the album for the upteenth time, it dawned on me. U2 were the greatest band on earth!

I had acquired a taste for U2.

Other tastes I have acquired over the years: olives and marmite (separately of course, not together).

And to think, this post came into being because of the crate of Dr. Pepper sitting in the dining room. Why? Well, I always thought it tasted too medicinal. Now, it's actually quite nice when it's chilled and has a couple of ice cubes in it!

Parallel Universes

I've always been fascinated by the idea of parallel universes - the "Sliding Doors" kind where in infinite different worlds, your life follows different routes based on the decisions you did or did not make. What path would my life have taken if I had stayed in Pakistan instead of coming back to go to university? Am I the author I want to be in another universe? The creative artist in yet a different world?

Don't get me wrong. I'm perfectly happy with my life as it is. I just like to escape every now and then into the what-ifs.

Life in the United Kingdom

The hubby is going to have to take the "Life in the UK" test soon in order to apply for his "Indefinite Leave to Remain". This entails reading a book and then taking a 24 MCQ test. Now, my hubby hates to read. The only book he'll pick up is the Argos catalog. That and any other catalogs with lots of pictures of phones, laptops, bicycles etc. So I thought I'd help him out by reading it with him and making notes. We're only on the first chapter and already I've learnt so much about the UK I didn't know (I went to school in Pakistan and so know next to nothing about British history). It's rather interesting seeing as I hated history when I was younger. It's the condensed condensed version of UK history but that's how I like my history. Unless I want to know more, that is.

All I need to do now is get the hubgby to sit with me tomorrow so we can get past the section on the Norman conquest and delve straight into the Middle Ages.

The Law of Straightness

I was given this card when I was a teaching assistant for a wonderful NQT. She thought my obsession with making sure everything was straight was quite funny.

(Image from www.edwardmonkton.com)

Rock-a-bye Baby

The Boogster is asleep in my lap after giving me such a hard time trying to get him to sleep. It's not easy rocking a 9 and a half kilo baby to sleep! Now he's asleep in my arms: mouth slightly open; eyes not quite closed and breathing out sweet baby breath.

Motherhood.

I love it.