Going Without

Happy 3 Month Anniversary!!! 

Here's the stats... 4190 page views, 12 countries, 319 cities.... VERY COOL!!!

I tell my friends that it's all still very surreal for me.  I'm a mom in jammie pants driving carpool in my mini-minivan.

I can't believe it....  I am so blessed by all of you.

THANK YOU!!!!

OK, enough feel-good moments....

Sean has decided to stop taking his melatonin at night.

ugh....

Remember how I wrote yesterday that Sean is growing up and becoming his own man?  Well, I guess that involves making decisions from what he wants for dinner on hodge-podge nights to ultimately whether or not he wants to take a sleep supplement.

He's been toying with the idea for a couple of weeks now.  I'm willing to give it a go once summer arrives and sleeping (or not) won't be so critical.

However, with 18 days left in the school year, the most crucial time for him, Sean has decided to stop taking the supplement that has helped him fall asleep for the past five years.

Of course I worry about the change.  Melatonin was a godsend years ago when someone made an offhand remark about it.  Sean was 8 years old and had yet to sleep through the night.  It took him hours to calm down enough to sleep.  Actually, it was probably more due to exhaustion than anything else. 

We tried everything..... different blankets, a special heavy blanket (it weighed 20 pounds), different beds, taking a bath, not taking a bath, the tv on, classical music... We even bought a fish tank with a bubbler.

Nothing worked to get him to sleep faster.  He was anxious, afraid.  I'd have to be close enough for him to be touching me... with a foot, a hand....anything.  When he got his loft bed, I'd get a pillow and blanket and lay down on the floor.  He would call out my name to make sure I was there.

Like I said, he eventually fell asleep.

But he never stayed asleep.

Sometime during the night he'd call out and one of us would come running.  The pillow and blanket would come out and once again, sleep would be our ever-elusive prey.

I don't think we lived through that time. 

We survived.

And now he wants to stop.  He tried it a few times over the past couple of weekends but now he's ready to go completely without.

He claims he's doing fine.  Sean loves the large, oscillating fan that we bought for his room.  He can turtle under his blanket all he wants now and not overheat. 

He gets about 8 to 9 hours of sleep at night.  I guess that's good - can't really ask for anything more.  The majority of adults would be envious....  And, it could all change once he truly hits the teenage track.  He might be sleeping until noon then!

So we'll see.....  I hope it works out.  I don't know if it will and now is certainly not the time I would have chosen to change the routine.

But Sean is becoming more independent.  That's a good thing.

And maybe this will be, too.

I'll let you all know.

**** DISCLAIMER****

So no one sues me.... This blog is for entertainment purposes only and no medical advice is given or implied.  This is a story.  Please, consult a physician.  Thank you.