Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Bump in the Night

At night, after the house is asleep, I lay in bed. Legs and arms tucked close to my body. One toe touching my husband, an anchor. I dare not sleep with even one appendage hanging over the edge of the bed. The monsters take refuge under the bed. They also lurk in the closet, behind the dresser and in shadowy spots. I watch the lights play on the ceiling and try not to notice the dark corners. Some nights, I can turn my head and doze off, happy thoughts keeping the creatures at bay. Others, sleep eludes me and I watch. And I listen.

When I think I can take it no more, I will lean over and switch on the video monitor for a peek at Sophie. Her sleeping form is a calming force. The unlikely positions she favors a source of entertainment. I marvel that she can sleep with her arms or legs dangling between the slats of her crib. She is singularly unconcerned with what might be lurking outside.

Her absolute certainty of her security leaves no room for these nighttime visitors. She doesn't have any monsters yet.

I hope she never does.

11 comments:

  1. What a CUTE post! Love the ending. Profound.

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  2. I was going to say there are no monsters, only Cylons. But I dare not even attempt to be funny, because this was hauntingly beautiful.

    You need a woobie.

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  3. Isn't it amazing how our kids (BABIES!) can be so inspiring? NICE post!

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  4. what a cool post. I really liked it. I must have the bathroom door and closet door shut tight or I can't sleep. I never know what is going to come out of there.

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  5. Somewhere I had a picture of my Gert, when she was big enough to big in a big girl bed, but still had one of those bed fences, sleeping with one arm and one leg flung WAY over the fence - she was practically straddling it!!! How do they DO that?

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  6. Love the post so true I hope they never have mosters and if they do that they are like the ones in mosters inc.!!
    no bother with sophie it's normal she was fine. so cute!!
    hope to see you guy's again soon!

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  7. Note to self: no more horror movies.

    I sleep with my bunny.

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  8. The first 10 years of our marriage we slept with the bathroom light on. Thank God my husband loves me. I think sheer exhaustion won on that one, because I don't mind so much anymore.

    But I totally get the toe/anchor thing. Oh man. I need to feel him near:)

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  9. Funny that your post was about sleep because I was just thinking about how now that I have kids, I am so dead tired that I don't have insomnia anymore. I'm sure in a few years when everyone is finally sleeping through the night, I'll be up worrying about my various monsters.

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  10. Here I was, writing a comment basically in agreement with other comments (especially the woobie comment) when I did it: I became intrigued by one of the ads in your blog. Now I know that digeridoos could prevent sleep apnea. Go figure.

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  11. Nikki made me chuckle. Monsters? Isn't it interesting how children are clueless about these things?

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Give me some sugar, baby!