Oh What A Night

Friday, March 14, 2008

12-midnight
Go to bed after a fun evening with the Cantwells. (We watched Martian Child which I totally recommend as a clean-good-message-family-film.)

12:30a.m.
As we are lying in bed, Phil and I begin to hear some rustling outside, or is it on the roof? or is it in the wall? or is it in the attic? The very loud rustling moves quickly around the house and then subsides.

12:45a.m.
More rustling. This time we get up and Phil finds the flashlight and goes out on the deck to see if he can see an animal on the roof or in the bushes. Nothing. The rustling continues but then stops.

1:30a.m.
The NOAA alert system blares. Phil gets up to turn it down so it won't disturb the Cantwells or Eden. NOAA informs us that there is a Severe Thunder Storm WARNING (which is the first of the warning/watch/alert system).

1:45a.m.
A thunder storm comes with all its noise and lightning. It lasts about a half hour.

2:30a.m.
The NOAA alert system blares again. This time we are informed that we are having a Severe Thunder Storm WATCH. The rain, lightning and thunder do indeed return for about an hour (this is the same system that ripped through Atlanta).

3:30a.m.
All is finally calm.

4:00a.m.
Eden cries. I go in and put her binky back in her mouth and she is quiet. I decide to use the restroom. While I'm in the restroom, she cries again. Phil goes in and, forgetting that he is not to lift her, gets her out of the crib and begins to rock her. I come in but my eyes have not adjusted from the light of the bathroom to the dark of her room. Finally I see where they are and go to take Eden from Phil. Unfortunately, Eden turns her head to see me just as I clumsily go to take her and she gets a thumbnail in the eye. She SCREAMS in both discomfort and (especially) betrayal. Although I am now holding her she wants nothing to do with an abusive mother and continues to scream. Phil sits back down and I place her in his lap. I sit in the chair next to them and make up with my daughter. After a few minutes, I take her (ironically, Phil pokes my eye when he hands the baby to me) and she comes willingly. Phil goes back to bed and I feed Eden a bottle and then lay her back down.

4:30a.m.
The whole family (and guests) are all in their beds. Eden, however, is not sleeping.

5:00a.m.
Eden has finally fallen back to sleep and so have her parents.

7:00a.m.
The alarm!