Daddy Detective

Sometimes I feel like being a parent is like being a detective. You have babies who can't communicate with you, and yet you are constantly trying to figure out their wants, needs, and desires. This morning was a good example of that.

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We've been spoiled for the past two months, in that the girls have been sleeping longer and longer stretches at night. And even when they wake up to feed, they had been feeding, then dropping right back off to sleep.

Notice I used the past tense "had".

This morning, Caroline and Katherine woke up at about 4:00 A.M. Terri woke up to nurse them.

At 5:00 A.M., I woke up because Caroline would not settle down in her crib.

She started by babbling, but the babbling soon turned into fussing, which then gave way to full-blown crying. The full-blown crying is what got me out of bed.

This was unusual behavior for Caroline. She had been sleeping through the night until at least six or seven.

But here it was, five o'clock, and she wouldn't go back to bed. I needed to investigate and find out what was wrong with Caroline.

This is where "Daddy Detective" sprang into action.

I went into her room, where suprisingly, she stopped crying and smiled when Daddy came to pick her up.

In my half-sleep state, I failed to notice this first important clue:

"she stopped crying and smiled when Daddy came to pick her up"

Thinking Caroline might still be hungry, I warmed up some formula and tried to give it to her.

Caroline took a few pulls on the bottle, but then spit it back up and laughed.

In fact, Caroline seemed more interested in the television set (which Daddy has foolishly turned on), and the lights in the living room.

Once more, I failed to pick up this second important clue:

"Caroline seemed more interested in the television set (which Daddy has foolishly turned on), and the lights in the living room"

I checked her diaper -- dry.

I carried her around the house to sooth her.

Surprisingly, she did not put her head down on my shoulder, but kept her head up, and was looking all around in whatever room I walked her to.

Being a college graduate, I finally picked up this third clue:

"she did not put her head down on my shoulder, but kept her head up, and was looking all around in whatever room I walked her to"

There was nothing wrong with my girl -- she just wanted to play!

At FIVE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING!

I tried an experiment.

I put Caroline back in her crib.

I left the room, and stood just outside the door.

Within 30 seconds -- LOUD crying.

I walked back in the room. I stood over Caroline's crib.

Crying -- STOPPED. She looked up at me and smiled.

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There are those of you who might think what I did next was cruel.

I walked out of the room and closed the door behind me.

You may ask: "How can you deny your daughter play time when she so clearly wants it?"

Five reasons:

1. It's five o'clock in the morning.
   
2. Caroline needs her sleep. She was not ready to wake up, even if she thought she was.
   
3. It's five o'clock in the morning.
   
4. If I play with her now, she'll want to play every morning at the same time, perhaps even earlier. We needed to get her back on her normal sleep routine immediately.
   
5. Did I mention -- It's five o'clock in the morning!!
   

I left the room, and Caroline started howling.

I turned off the baby monitor in our bedroom (so Terri could sleep), then I went into the living room, sat down on the couch, and started writing this blog.

I steeled myself for a long, drawn-out, battle of wills.

But surprisingly, the battle only lasted about 5 minutes.

Caroline cried loudly for about 5 minutes. Then, the crying stopped.

I tip-toed back into the room to check up on Caroline.

She was fast asleep, sucking her thumb.

Once again, another case solved by the Daddy Detective.

Ready to Play, 24/7.
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