The Night Shift

Blinking rapidly with hopes of moisturizing my dry contacts I rolled over to looked at the clock. Carefully I pushed my pillow back making sure not to put any weight on my chest, I could feel the tightness of my skin beneath my shirt and bra and knew that it was close to feeding time. The clock read 2:AM, used to waking at such an early hour my mind did a quick calculation where I realized it had only been four hours. The wheels in my head began turning as I tried to decide whether or not to get up or to go back to sleep in hopes that Andrew would sleep another two hours. It took only a minute or two to decide that the more sleep the better and I rolled over fluffing my pillow on the way. I closed my eyes and tried to block out the ache coming from chest as I focused on a serene scene of a wooded area.

Forty-five minutes later I woke yet again, my bust aching for relief and my body wide awake ready to make the journey across the house to feed my son. I entered his room and with out even seeing his face I immediately knew that he was still in a deep sleep. Smiling I crossed the room to the crib and peaked over the edge already knowing what I was going to find. Andrew was asleep, as I predicted, and through his wiggling he had pulled the covers up over his face. Only a small finger or two peaked out from the top of the covers along with his pacifier which he had probably pulled out and now laid above his head. Laughing at the idea that he liked to snuggle the covers up high like his mom I lightly pulled the covers down to his chin and exposed his face to the chilly night air in the house. I watched as he didn't even stir at the movement and knew that I was going to have to pump. Again my head ran with calculations and I realized that I would probably be up again with in a hour to feed him. I quickly pumped and placed a readied bottle on the stove-top for easy heating when the time came.

Twenty minutes after checking on Andrew I fluffed my pillow and crawled into bed. Checking the clock one last time I read the bright red numbers with ease; 3:AM. My body welcomed the warmth of the covers like flowers in the spring as the temperature rises. My head found the sweet spot of my pillow that supported my neck with just the right amount of fluff and with in minutes I was back to dreaming of my walk in the woods.

Andrew's cry through the monitor woke my mind and body and I vaguely wondered what time it was feeling that was a long hour. Rolling over on my stomach and pushing my pillow aside I leaned over to find the red numbers for the third time that morning; 6:AM. Brandon moved to get up as I smiled and let him know that a bottle was on the stove-top ready for a quick warm up. With slow movements that spoke of sleepiness Brandon thanked me in a deep groggy voice and shut the bedroom door.

I rolled back onto my pillow again, my head searching for that sweet spot, and quickly calculated the time. My face broke into an elated smile at my realization right before my mind drifted back into the woods for another thirty minutes.

Feeling fully alert, awake, and content I leisurely flung the covers off of me and let the cold air chill my arms and legs as I got out of bed. I could hear the shower in the bathroom running and the low hum of the fan as I slipped my slippers on my feet and made my way to the living room. Pausing only to turn on the TV I bounced my way to the nursery humming "Amazing Grace" on the way. I flipped the switch and filled the room with light as I made my way over to my son and brightly wished him a good morning. He returned my smile with one of his own as he began to wiggle and laugh, cooing and gurgling his good morning to me.

Reaching down I picked him up and snuggled him close to my face taking in his sweet baby smell before congratulating him on his first EIGHT HOUR NIGHT! My excitement radiated through me and Andrew picked up on the fun still laughing and wiggling as if proud of himself for this great feat. We both left the nursery with plenty of smiles and giggles as we went to start our day.