Pre-Historic Scorpions
One of Novan's favorite things to watch is documentaries about dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals. Since we got streaming Netflix, we have access to a wide variety of nature shows. You would THINK that would be acceptable viewing material for a 5-year old. After all, I get all proud that my kid knows names of prehistoric animals like dipleurodon and euoplocephalus. I suppose dinosaurs can be kind of scary though, yet I guess I take for granted that they might be scary to a 5-year old since I take for granted that they are extinct.
Weeeeeeell, last night proved that you can get too much of a good thing. Novan, who actually has started having nightmares lately had a particularly terrifying one last night. Usually they involve things like bugs and stuff but last night he swore there were sea scorpions in his bed. I knew immediately that he wasn't talking about those tiny scorpions you see in the desert. He's talking the huge prehistoric kind that were around 300 million years ago and some species were even bigger than a man.
Yeah that's a big arthropod. I would say that would be scary. Well the kid was up multiple times. He just would not stay in bed no matter how many times we prayed and how much I tried to reassure him. The one time I entrusted Brad to get him to go back to bed, I am pretty sure Novan got right out of bed and stayed up watching TV for several hours. I know this because I found him awake in the living room myself about 4 AM. And what was he watching? Clash of the Dinosaurs. Yes, the perfect wee-morning, had a bad dream and need to go back to sleep content for your viewing pleasure. NOT!
Though I tried to put the kid back in bed, he was back in my room within 5 minutes and I gave up and put him in the bed between Brad and me. He was asleep within 5 minutes. I, on the other hand, was not. I didn't sleep at all really and so in the morning I was one cranky mom.
I would like to point out that this is the only time I've EVER allowed a kid to sleep in the bed with me at night, at least when Brad is home. Sometimes I let Beya sleep with me when Brad goes out of town but I put a pillow between us so I don't risk getting kicked or woken up. But a queen-sized bed was not made for 3. I am very much against kids sleeping with their parents as a pacifying action. But I was so blasted tired I didn't know what else to do and my brain wasn't working.
In the morning, Novan said the scorpions had gone back to the ocean to which I insisted they had never been in his room in the first place. All day I've told him he's not sleeping in my bed again and he's sleeping in his own. He's been pretty scared all day about bedtime and at bedtime Beya said the following prayer:
"Dear Heavenly Father,
Help Novan not to be scared. Help that Novan won't be scared of scorpions. Help that the scorpions won't be in his bed. Help that Heavenly Father can save Novan from the scorpions. Help that I can be brave for Novan. Help that I can get those scorpions with a knife..."
WOAH. Ok so I was proud of her dedication to helping Novan not to be scared, but a knife? Where did she get that idea? Thank goodness I keep my knives out of the kids' reach or I might have a BIG problem waking up in the middle of the night to one of them stabbing unseen scorpions. shiver. My reaction to her when she said that though was to laugh. It was just such a bizarre image.
Anyway, I'm hoping this nightmare thing isn't going to be a problem. I'm still trying to get the kid to go to sleep without a diaper and having no luck. I do NOT need a kid that has nightmares every night and won't sleep in his own bed.
Weeeeeeell, last night proved that you can get too much of a good thing. Novan, who actually has started having nightmares lately had a particularly terrifying one last night. Usually they involve things like bugs and stuff but last night he swore there were sea scorpions in his bed. I knew immediately that he wasn't talking about those tiny scorpions you see in the desert. He's talking the huge prehistoric kind that were around 300 million years ago and some species were even bigger than a man.
Yeah that's a big arthropod. I would say that would be scary. Well the kid was up multiple times. He just would not stay in bed no matter how many times we prayed and how much I tried to reassure him. The one time I entrusted Brad to get him to go back to bed, I am pretty sure Novan got right out of bed and stayed up watching TV for several hours. I know this because I found him awake in the living room myself about 4 AM. And what was he watching? Clash of the Dinosaurs. Yes, the perfect wee-morning, had a bad dream and need to go back to sleep content for your viewing pleasure. NOT!
Though I tried to put the kid back in bed, he was back in my room within 5 minutes and I gave up and put him in the bed between Brad and me. He was asleep within 5 minutes. I, on the other hand, was not. I didn't sleep at all really and so in the morning I was one cranky mom.
I would like to point out that this is the only time I've EVER allowed a kid to sleep in the bed with me at night, at least when Brad is home. Sometimes I let Beya sleep with me when Brad goes out of town but I put a pillow between us so I don't risk getting kicked or woken up. But a queen-sized bed was not made for 3. I am very much against kids sleeping with their parents as a pacifying action. But I was so blasted tired I didn't know what else to do and my brain wasn't working.
In the morning, Novan said the scorpions had gone back to the ocean to which I insisted they had never been in his room in the first place. All day I've told him he's not sleeping in my bed again and he's sleeping in his own. He's been pretty scared all day about bedtime and at bedtime Beya said the following prayer:
"Dear Heavenly Father,
Help Novan not to be scared. Help that Novan won't be scared of scorpions. Help that the scorpions won't be in his bed. Help that Heavenly Father can save Novan from the scorpions. Help that I can be brave for Novan. Help that I can get those scorpions with a knife..."
WOAH. Ok so I was proud of her dedication to helping Novan not to be scared, but a knife? Where did she get that idea? Thank goodness I keep my knives out of the kids' reach or I might have a BIG problem waking up in the middle of the night to one of them stabbing unseen scorpions. shiver. My reaction to her when she said that though was to laugh. It was just such a bizarre image.
Anyway, I'm hoping this nightmare thing isn't going to be a problem. I'm still trying to get the kid to go to sleep without a diaper and having no luck. I do NOT need a kid that has nightmares every night and won't sleep in his own bed.
boo for nightmares! YAY for kids buckling themselves in. We finally got C out of a diaper at night. (pullup actually.) It was only because HE wanted it. he kept asking, kept trying to stay dry. finally we started rewarding the dry nights with jellybellies, his idea since K was getting them when she went to the potty. and bam, no more pull-up. we still have a wet night here and there, but he is pretty good.
ReplyDeleteWhen will you find out for sure on the twin thing?