Thursday, December 20, 2007

Sweet Dreams

My son, my first born child, the child who made me a mommy is now officially a sleepwalker. It is frightening.


Towards the end of the summer, the husband and I were watching Lifetime at night. I know, he is awesome. I asked him to lower the volume. The house is nearly silent. We concentrate on the sound. Trickling of water. The husband walks over to the sink and I go the opposite way and enter our foyer. I see Jay standing in the upstairs hallway, Pjs around his ankles, holding his manly hood, and aiming directly down at me. I run up the stairs and direct him toward the bathroom. He was speaking in tongues and was very disorientated. I scooped all 40 pounds of him in my arms and placed him in his bed.

About a week later, the husband and I finally joined the rest of the civilized world and ordered a movie from Netflix. We were enjoying our night together until we heard another sound. The husband walked over to the baby monitor and stared at it. I went the opposite direction and headed up the stairs. I opened up Jay’s door and saw him bent over the floor air vent. Again he was speaking in tongues and was very disorientated. He was sweating. A lot. I hugged him tightly, thinking it was a fever forming, and he made eye contact and spoke. “There is something in there. I hear voices. There is something down there and Lola is a bad girl.” I changed his Pjs and ushered him into bed.

Some time passed and the husband was watching a movie and I was reading some blogs late at night. I asked him to turn down the volume. Both of us walked upstairs to find Jay standing in the middle of his room. Disorientated… speaking tongues… sweating…. no fever. “She said no. I don’t know why. Do you see the shadows? Why do they say no? Lola is so bad to the shadows.” Again, I hug him tight. Change his Pjs and usher him into bed.

Now, Jay sleepwalks every other night . It usually happens an hour or two after falling asleep and it frightens me so. I haven’t googled sleepwalking yet. It makes me so sad to witness the fact that he has real nightmares… about Lola. Lola, the middle child, requires so much attention that at times it is exhausting. I think the reason behind his sleepwalking is.... Lola.

19classy comments:

Mr Lady said...

Dude, that's CREEPY. I have no advice, except maybe to put a baby gate in his doorway so he doesn't hurt himself?

chichimama said...

Hugs. It's scary, isn't it? My oldest was a sleepwalker. He hasn't done it in a while, I'm hoping he's outgrown it. My little one doesn't sleep walk but bolts upright and sleeptalks with the walls about her brother and whatever he has done to her in her dreams.

Our pediatrician's only concern about the sleep walking was that he would hurt himself, so we cleared everything out of his room that was the least bit breakable or pointy, and put a gate at the top of the stairs, which you probably already have because of the little ones.

But you should mention it to yours just to make you feel better next time you see her.

Apparently it is pretty common at this age. My next door neighbor's son walked down the street a few house one night and then walked back home...so now we have the high bolts on the doors too just in case...

Unknown said...

That is scary. Hugs to you!
Everything I've read, which is not much, says that kids outgrow it as they get older. If it wasn't for the bedrail on our son's bed, he'd be a sleepwalker too. As it is, he does get out of bed in his sleep and eventually wakes himself up.

I would check with your ped and see what they have to say. I would think the most important thing would be to make sure he was safe. Locking windows, removing dangerous stuff from the room, baby gates at tops of steps, etc. I was a sleepwalker but only during times of stress. Maybe the stress of the holidays gets to kids more than we realize?

It is scary and I'm sorry you are worried about it! This mom thing is tough! If the hospital had just given us an instruction manual life would be easier! ;)

Crystal D said...

oh my goodness. poor thing. does he remember it the next morning? I have no experience with sleepwalking, so no advice to offer here. Did you or your husband do it when you were his age?

Crystal D said...

PS - those pictures of Lola are great.

Maria said...

Hi, I got to your blog from my sister Irene. My 11 year old sleepwalks, too. Once I woke up in the middle of the night to find him sleeping downstairs. Another time he tried to get into my daughter's bed. I think it's from being overtired. Your story was so funny.

Irene said...

Yes, that was a very funny, yet a little scary, story. My oldest hasn't sleepwalked yet, but I have hear stories like this from many parents. I guess it is common.

AutoSysGene said...

I think that would freak me out a bit, too. I have no experience or advice but I would probably ask my pedi about it.

Here's hoping he grows out of it quickly.

The pictures are adorable.

OHmommy said...

You think it could be from being OVER TIRED? Make a lot of sense. We stopped naps about 6 months ago.

lattemommy said...

I agree with the over tired idea - I know that I always sleep more restlessly with lots of dreams when I'm over tired.

My oldest doesn't sleepwalk, but she does sit up in her bed in the middle of the night and speak (er, yell sometimes) gibberish. It's always a little creepy, isn't it? When you can make sense of it, though, it's an interesting insight into their subconscious...

adequatemom said...

I have been known to sleepwalk as well. I generally only do it in times of stress. It's pretty sad to think about your little son being stressed out enough to need to deal with it in that way! You have mentioned before that he is a bit of an anxious/uptight child (which is by no means a criticism since I am that way too). Maybe he needs a healthy outlet for his tension. Good luck.

Caroline C. Bingham said...

ooh, creepy. I'd be alright with the sleepwalking, but the nonsense talking would have me worried! Ey-yi-yi. Maybe if he's all done with naps he could just go to bed earlier...

Karen MEG said...

I was just talking to my friend and her son also sleepwalks. It sounds very disconcerting, but hopefully he will outgrow it. It sounds like it's a stage that some kids go through. But it would freak me out too, the conversations and everything.

Amy said...

That is so scary. I wish I had some advice or something to offer....
At least it happens in the first couple of hours, while you are still awake.

Stephanie said...

Seems like the common factor is the TV. ;o)

Seriously, night terrors are completely normal from what I've read. They're worrisome just because we have estrogen in our blood. But definitely talk to your pediatrician about it just in case.

And thanks for the comment on my blog!

Stephanie

Kellan said...

That just scares me to death - my friends son sleep walks like that - with his eyes open and all - it is so strange and I'm so afraid they are going to hurt themselves. You kids are so adorable and that Lola laughing - to precious. Take care. Kellan

Jennifer said...

Yikes that's scary. My husband has sleptwalked a few times and it freaked me out, but if one of my kids was doing it...well I'd be even more frightened.

Kat said...

Hmmm. I have no advice, but the overtired scenario sounds about right. Kids do strange things when they are overtired, and since it coincides with the ending of naps, it seems probable. Maybe try moving his bedtime up a half an hour or hour.
Good luck!

OHmommy said...

The boy goes to sleep at 7pm every night... 8pm at the latest.

He sleeps a full 11 hours. I think I might ask my doctor. Thanks everyone!

 

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