R considers sleep as his biggest enemy. Right from birth. While babies all over the world slept for most part of the day and night, this boy would manage a total of about 11-12 hours on the whole, with the major block for the night. He never had his nights and days mixed up, so he pretty much had his clock wired like that of an adult. His naps during the day would last a whole 15 minutes.
While we have come a long way from those 'tiring and sleepless' times, R still maintains his 11-12 hour sleep schedule. Thank god for small mercies he hasn't slipped below that. He wakes up at 6.00 a.m. as soon as the alarm goes off. While I am inclined to snooze it and get some extra snuggle time, R is up and raring to go. I really long to sip my morning coffee in peace while R sleeps but this is very very rare.
I then harbour hopes on having my evening tea without R climbing all over me or without having to sip my tea in-between getting R his snacks or he climbing all over me and me gulping down the drink in haste. A lot of things has to fall in place before this happens. For starters since R is up by 6-6.30 in the morning he is usually sleepy by 10 or 10.30. If he sleeps then, then he skips his and forfeits my afternoon nap. I try to have my way and 'tell' him that amma is going to sleep and he is not going to do anything that will wake her up. I might as well say this to the walls. Toddlers do not understand such complex matters especially when it is not in their interests. This is a sample incident of what happens.
It is one such afternoon and as I slip away into a doze, I hear the tapping of the keyboard. I find the brat on the tip on his toes, hands lugging far behind at the keyboard and managing to bring it ahead with the tip of his fingers. Jubilant with success, he is furiously typing away. I jump to my feet and drag him away from the table. The keyboard is now placed farthest from the table edge as is possible and the mouse above the CPU. The CPU is incidentally elevated some notches higher from the original level by means of some old books, etc. Satisfied, I proceed to settle down to catch 40 winks. Barely have I rested my back when I realize my stupidity in leaving the chair as it is. The chair is now locked away in the other room. I then look around to check if there is anything else of importance, convinced that there is none now, I warily lie down and keep my ears open. The brat is silent and is playing with some books. I smile to myself and let my guards down. Sleep comes in a jiffy and I drift to wonderland. It could not be more than 2 minutes and I am rudely awakened by a gush of water on my face. Startled to wake up, I see R with a bottle of water all emptied - over me, himself and the bed.
If I am lucky, R gets up by 6.45 a.m. and I do not let him sleep at 10.30. We manage to push the time until 12 noon, when he takes his afternoon nap after lunch. These are the best days for I am ensured of my nap. I wait for my maid to leave, quickly finish lunch, check a few emails and settle down to catch an hour's sleep or so. I hope to wake up before R does. My coveted goal- to make and sip my evening chai before R wakes up..:-). It happens quite a few times but mostly it is this: I wake up to find R in deep slumber. I jump off the bed, dart straight to the kitchen to make myself a cuppa. I don't care about the timings, anything beyond 3 p.m. is chai time. I check about 5 times on R to find him asleep. I smile in my head and add the sugar to the tea and put it to my lips. Ammaaaaaaa...I hear a patter of little feet and find the fella right behind me with a sweet smile and I also imagine a 'caught-you' look in his eyes.
While we have come a long way from those 'tiring and sleepless' times, R still maintains his 11-12 hour sleep schedule. Thank god for small mercies he hasn't slipped below that. He wakes up at 6.00 a.m. as soon as the alarm goes off. While I am inclined to snooze it and get some extra snuggle time, R is up and raring to go. I really long to sip my morning coffee in peace while R sleeps but this is very very rare.
I then harbour hopes on having my evening tea without R climbing all over me or without having to sip my tea in-between getting R his snacks or he climbing all over me and me gulping down the drink in haste. A lot of things has to fall in place before this happens. For starters since R is up by 6-6.30 in the morning he is usually sleepy by 10 or 10.30. If he sleeps then, then he skips his and forfeits my afternoon nap. I try to have my way and 'tell' him that amma is going to sleep and he is not going to do anything that will wake her up. I might as well say this to the walls. Toddlers do not understand such complex matters especially when it is not in their interests. This is a sample incident of what happens.
It is one such afternoon and as I slip away into a doze, I hear the tapping of the keyboard. I find the brat on the tip on his toes, hands lugging far behind at the keyboard and managing to bring it ahead with the tip of his fingers. Jubilant with success, he is furiously typing away. I jump to my feet and drag him away from the table. The keyboard is now placed farthest from the table edge as is possible and the mouse above the CPU. The CPU is incidentally elevated some notches higher from the original level by means of some old books, etc. Satisfied, I proceed to settle down to catch 40 winks. Barely have I rested my back when I realize my stupidity in leaving the chair as it is. The chair is now locked away in the other room. I then look around to check if there is anything else of importance, convinced that there is none now, I warily lie down and keep my ears open. The brat is silent and is playing with some books. I smile to myself and let my guards down. Sleep comes in a jiffy and I drift to wonderland. It could not be more than 2 minutes and I am rudely awakened by a gush of water on my face. Startled to wake up, I see R with a bottle of water all emptied - over me, himself and the bed.
If I am lucky, R gets up by 6.45 a.m. and I do not let him sleep at 10.30. We manage to push the time until 12 noon, when he takes his afternoon nap after lunch. These are the best days for I am ensured of my nap. I wait for my maid to leave, quickly finish lunch, check a few emails and settle down to catch an hour's sleep or so. I hope to wake up before R does. My coveted goal- to make and sip my evening chai before R wakes up..:-). It happens quite a few times but mostly it is this: I wake up to find R in deep slumber. I jump off the bed, dart straight to the kitchen to make myself a cuppa. I don't care about the timings, anything beyond 3 p.m. is chai time. I check about 5 times on R to find him asleep. I smile in my head and add the sugar to the tea and put it to my lips. Ammaaaaaaa...I hear a patter of little feet and find the fella right behind me with a sweet smile and I also imagine a 'caught-you' look in his eyes.
