Our time

Every night Charlie goes to bed between seven and eight o'clock. And, without fail, every night he wakes up at nine or ten, just as I (would like to) go to bed.

He is a lovely boy, but he is a night owl. Both of my children have been night owls actually. But I am too, so really it isn't that surprising. Maybe if I was less awake at night they wouldn't be? But regardless, every night he wakes, and then stays awake, generally till around midnight.

And quite honestly, I don't really mind.

I mind the next morning when I have trouble keeping my eyes open. But at the same time, it's quite nice. We don't get a lot of time when it's just me and my boy. Even though I would really like to have an early night, I quite like those couple of hours at night with my Charlie. So, while his sister and his Dad sleep, it's our time.

Generally we play, or he rolls around all over the floor while I potter around doing jobs. I drink a lot of tea at night. We change nappies and tickle toes and say remarkably silly things about little piggies. Most of the time Charlie spends the first hour of his awake time being quite happy, and I do enjoy getting to be with him like that. The second hour tends to be a bit harder, that's when he starts getting tired and cranky, and I get tired and cranky. There is lots of patting and rocking and Go to sleep Charlie! But generally it's okay.

I do like my boy.

Probably if I was a better, stricter parent I could fight this and make him go to bed. But I just can't seem to want to enough. I know that all too soon the baby smiles and gurgles will be gone, and he will be a big boy and he will be off doing things that are far more important, and Mum stop kissing me! So I enjoy this while I can.

I mean really, would you mind spending a couple of hours with this guy?