Crackers in Bed

Last night Max woke in the middle of the night and wouldn't be consoled with water or a binkie. I'm working hard to night-wean, so I was trying to think of other alternatives to nursing at 2am. Usually when I tell him "Mamas milk is sleeping." He gives a quick whine, takes a drink of water, and is back to sleep right away. Not last night.

Then I remembered our lactation consultants advice- Maybe he really is hungry. Try a high protein snack... maybe a hunk of cheese in the middle of the night will help him sleep. Hmmm... no cheese, but we have peanut butter cracker sandwiches that he loves. So, at 2am...Max is sobbing... signing "milk"

Mommy: I know you want milk, mamas milk is sleeping. You want some water? Or a binkie?
Max: nooooo no no no ... milk
Mommy: Are you hungry? You want a snack?
Max (still sobbing) : Yeeeeaaaaaahhhhh.
Mommy: You want some peanut butter crackers?
Max (sniff sniff): yeah. yeah... (sniffing subsides)

Dutiful Daddy goes downstairs to get crackers, meanwhile Max is pointing at the door asking for crackers. When daddy comes back and puts a cracker in his hand, Max stops sniffling altogether and lays back down to cuddle with mommy. Binkie in one hand, cracker in the other. He ate 4 peanut butter crackers, and drank a bunch of water. It was so cute to hear him chomping away at the crackers, half asleep. At one point he stopped eating and said, "Mommy!" I said, "Yep, mommy's here!" then he points at himself, "YOU!!!" I say, "Yep, you're here, too!" then he lifts his head and looks at Ron, "Daddy!" "Yep, that's daddy!" Max finally says, "Yeah..." and puts his head back down to finish his cracker. He signed "more" when he was done with one and wanted another. I thought he would fall asleep with a bite in his mouth, but sure enough he finished up, put his binkie in his mouth, and fell right to sleep. He slept for a good chunk of time, I think the snack definitely helped.

We have a bed full of crumbs, and we'll probably go out and get some cheese tonight, or other high protein snack... but last nights midnight half-asleep cracker crunching is something I want to remember!