Square one...

I feel as if I am back there again. For the past two nights Otis has not slept for longer than two hours at a time. I am exhausted, not only because my sleep has been so interrupted, but also because I'm coming down with something... Sore throat, runny nose, husky voice, aching head... It's not easy being the happy-go-lucky, energetic, entertaining Mum he's used to. Luckily Baby Songs came in the mail today, so I popped that on for 20 minutes to give my throat a rest. I love hearing all those songs from my childhood — well, it wasn't really MY childhood, I associate those songs with Gabby and Bart as babies and toddlers. They're really lovely, if you can look past the daggy 80s clothing and styling, in that they teach babies how to deal positively with a whole range of experiences — toilet training, playing, animals, sleeping, separation anxiety, walking, sharing, eating... The Americanisms are a little painful— "Today I Took My Diaper Off" is an example! Anyway, obviously Otis is too young to understand the words, but he really enjoys all the music and colour. He really does love to hear someone sing. He is particularly partial to my voice, I usually get a massive grin within seconds of starting a performance of "Oh Happy Day" from Sister Act II, or "New Soul" by Yael Naim!!

I feel silly because even though I know to expect the unexpected, I think I was smugly convinced that my fantastic parenting skills had moulded Otis into an easy, obedient little boy. Hahahahahaha!! The joke is on me. He is entirely in control. As a result, my hair is a rat's nest, I haven't even brushed my teeth, and I had to forgo Mothers' Group this morning. I sat on the toilet this morning at about 3 and just put my head in my hands and cried. When I got back to him, it was as if he knew he'd upset me, and he just smiled and smiled, and then went to sleep next to me.

We decided this morning that he is Nazi — definitely has the requisite Aryan appearance, and constantly makes these bizarre hand signals, holding his clenched fist up towards the light. He's got the dictatorship thing down pat too. Hopefully we'll be able to have some influence on his politics and can steer him away from this type of thinking...

Thankfully we are heading up to Noosa tomorrow night, and Mum and Dad can help ease the load.