Early Bird

We are a family of late sleepers. I know many of my friends with children are often out of bed at the crack of dawn. To me, the crack of dawn is the middle of the night! Our average wake-up is around 9. (Other than Christian going to work, and sometimes he is still home at 9 if he pushes snooze too many times....don't get me started on the snooze button....let's just say, I wish his alarm clock didn't have one.) I'm writing this at 9:30. Sam and Emma are sleeping. They don't always sleep this late. (FYI, it is now 10 and Sam is up, but not a peep from Emma....this is untypically late.)

And then there is Brayden.

Here he is, wearing a baseball helmet (haha) and having a banana and juice. He did take off his work gloves to eat.

He's been such a stinker lately. Especially about sleep. And I think his funky sleep pattern is what is causing him to be so cranky lately.

I'm not sure how this started, but when we put him to bed, he doesn't go to sleep, even when he is very tired. He gets out of bed over and over, for anything from going to the bathroom to phantom injuries. Or, he will stay in bed, but not sleep. You get the point. He has gotten a little better about going right to sleep at nap time. (Probably because he knows that I take less nonsense than Christian.)

But here comes the kicker.

He wakes up before 7 am. Or at least he has been for the past few weeks.

I'm not sure why he gets up so early. He doesn't want to DO anything when he gets up. He just wants to lay on the couch with his blanket.

I will be honest. It's driving me a little crazy.

I can deal with the not going right to sleep part. He can look at a book or whatever until he goes to sleep. I could even deal with the earlier-than-standard-Capotosto-wake-up.

But he has NOT been himself.

If you have had the pleasure of meeting Brayden, no words are necessary to describe him. He's...Brayden. Happy. Curious. A little mischievous. Kind-hearted. Easy going. Exuberant!

Brayden of late has been a whiner. He has bags under his eyes. He's in a daze, as in, I have to say something 3 or 4 times with increasing volume before he even realizes I'm talking to him. I've been getting a lot of "Nos" and "I don't want to do....." (Which is just NOT allowed in our home.) Worst of all, he is, at moments, downright mean, mostly to Sam. He is just....tired.

I have started saying, "Just because you're tired doesn't mean you can be naughty."

All of the said....he still has more good moments than bad.

AND....

He's lucky he has those big blue eyes, cheek dimple, and long eyelashes!!