paging mr. sandman

He sure is cute.

And it's a good thing, too.

First, let me preface this by saying: I know I'm lucky to have a kid who started sleeping through the night when he was five weeks old.

I get it. And I don't take it for granted, believe me. In fact, I often ask myself how I got such an awesome kid. I don't know how it happened, but it just did. And you know what?

I LOVE IT.

So don't be all jeal and let that keep you from throwing some sympathy my way. Because OH DEAR LORD, he's waking up again.

It started about two weeks ago. I guess they call it sleep regression? I hate it. Sometimes it's just once. Sometimes it's three times. Sometimes it's every two hours. Regardless, I'm tired and running on coffee fumes. And I want my sleep-loving baby back.

We've adjusted the temperature in his room in case he was too cold, but that didn't work. And he doesn't really act hungry, just kind of restless, but nursing him is the only way to get him settled back down. Truthfully, the entire ordeal - from the time I get out of bed until I get back in - is only about ten minutes. It's really not that bad. I just nurse him long enough for him to drift back to sleep and then he's fine. But I don't know what else to do because he is SO WOUND UP.

I've tried giving him a pacifier to see if that will help. I've tried letting him cry for 10 minutes or so to see if he puts himself back to sleep (which he does during naptime, with no problem). I've tried rocking him. None of that works.

I'm obviously not going to starve him if he's hungry, and I'll gladly get up with him every night if that's what it is, but I don't think that's it. And I also don't want to create a habit that isn't necessary by nursing him just to calm him down. Then he might get a wild hair and try to schedule a 3am date with me every night.

(Secret aside: I have enjoyed the extra sweet, sleepy snuggles. So there's that)

Last night, I went in there at about 4am (after getting up at 11:30pm and 1:30am) and he squealed with delight and started flailing about like he does when he's getting up from a nap. Like, "Alright! Mom's here! Time to party!"

I'm just not in a very party-ish mood at 4am, you know?

So the question is this, what is going on with my kid? And when will this phase pass?