When Baby Ninja was, well, a baby (she’s 11 months now, how did that happen? That’s almost a toddler) we were plagued by short power naps of exactly 30 minutes followed by a period of crabbiness until she finally gave in to sleep again. This went on for some time until she started coping better with being awake so much. (She didn’t start napping properly i.e. longer than 30 minutes at a time until about 8 months). Now, when you’ve got a baby that doesn’t sleep and you have to put in so much effort to get them to sleep for such a short time, anything that disturbs that precious state is not just mildly annoying. It is blood boilingly infuriating.
I was reminded of this the other day when I’d just put her into her cot (another thing that getting older has made easier, she doesn’t nap in her buggy very well instead these days) anyway, the telephone rang just as I was about to leave her room. The eyes popped open and cue a mini rage from Baby Ninja for being jolted awake from her fast approaching slumber. It then took me half an hour to resettle her. Needless to say I was cursing that damn phone all morning.
That reminded me of something I want to share with you though. How I’ve turned into a complete noise nazi since having a baby. My husband is the same. Sleep becomes such an obsession if you’re not getting any. Roadworks, people shouting (they call it talking in Essex but do it a good few decibels louder than the rest of the country), car doors slamming are just some of the things that would set me huffing and puffing. Actually not just huffing and puffing but completely and irrationally furious.
But do you know what noise I hate the most? It really is one of my biggest annoyances and one that would probably get Terry Wogan, the original old moaner, going. People blowing their car horn because they’re too bloody lazy to get out and knock on the door to tell the person they’ve arrived. Personally, I think this says something about our society. Bone idle, noise mongerers. Is that what Britain has become? Well, I want none of it. Bring back the peace and quiet of my youth where all you heard was bird song and……. well probably the above, it just didn’t bother me then.
Seriously though keep the noise down and if you see a baby sleeping, spare a thought for the mum before you bellow “Ahhh is she a good sleeper then?” right into the pram before beeping your horn to let your pal know you’re ready to pick her up. Grrr.
Sleep Is For The Weak 
I’m with you ginger. Whenever we’re out with the Imp sleeping in the pram I feel like shouting to the whole world ‘could you all just be quiet a minute, the Imp is sleeping! please don’t disturb him or we’ll be in for a horrid afternoon.’ I purposely avoid a nearby set of traffic lights when the Imp is asleep as they make that beeping noise as the pedestrian light turns green. And imagine my rage at the emergency services vans that insist on using sirens … 😉
The other night, had just got Chops to sleep when a blinkin’ ice-cream van turned up outside and put its jingly tune on… at 8pm I ask you!! And don’t get me started on binmen…
Arrrrgh, the ice cream van. I remember walking around and around a park at lunch (while everyone else was eating in the restaurant) to try and get the imp to sleep. Just as he was drifting, the blardy ice cream truck turned on its music just as it went past us … DH had to laugh when i told him about Mr Whippy!
Phones – grrrr. We have a shouter in next door’s garden as well. And as for the people next door who turn the television up to max every evening…
Oh yes, I’ve been known to growl down the phone when its delicately ear-piercing tones flood the house seconds after babypixie’s dozed off.The first question people ask is “Oh sorry did I wake her?”, not their fault I know, I too would think that 20 past 4 in the afternoon was a reasonable time to call someone, it just wasn’t reasonable today 😉
i’ve been known to growl at the next door neighbours (perfectly lovely people) because theyve walked quite heavily along the uncarpeted floorboards on their landing and its coincided with the buddha bubs waking up!!
OMG are you living in my life somewhere??? UGH!!!!! I cannot tell you HOW hard I work for such little sleep! And is she ever CRABBY after those 30 minute naps!!!