Asparagus and night terrors

Maddie has a new habit that is not fun. Waking up screaming like she's being bloody murdered.

She'd done it a few random times before - but only when something happened that scared her (for no good reason - like me going 'ewwwww' a little louder than usual at a poopy diaper - that has caused one of those freak attacks).

However while we were staying at my Mom's house during our visit in Kingston, she started waking up in the middle of the night like that. Screaming and taking a looooooong time to console once I picked her up. At first we thought that it was a teething thing, or because she was in a playpen (sorry, playyard) and that was new and different.

Then when we were at Liz and Greg's for dinner last Saturday night, she woke up and did the "I'm missing my binkie" cry, so I went up and found it for her, gave her a few back rubs and went to leave. All was good. Until I shut the door, that is. Then the screaming started. And really didn't stop until we took her into the lighted hallway.

Then the lightbulb went on, so to speak. She has a nightlight in her bedroom at our house - there was no nightlight at either my Mom's or Greg & Liz's. So she must be afraid of the dark.

At least that was the theory until last night. She woke up at 10:30pm and I finally got her back down to sleep an hour later. (Yes we gave her Motrin, but after seeing the doctor today, she said that she did not have an ear infection, no signs of a cold or swollen glands, and that she saw no signs of teething --- ummmm, shiiiiiiittt. When the hell are those teeth going to come??)

So now we don't know what it is. My doctor theorized that she just wanted attention or to see me, and this was her way of making that happen. I tend to disagree - she's clearly freaked out, and me picking her up doesn't calm her down immediately - it takes a while. So I don't think it's just a matter of wanting to see Mommy in the middle of the night.

I wish I knew what it was - not only for her sake, but mine as well. Trust me, there's nothing that gets your heart racing better than to awaken to your screeching baby.

On a happier note - we had a yummy dinner (cedar plank bbq'd salmon, rice and asparagus) and Maddie joined us in eating some asparagus. I didn't need to add water - just pureed some of the steamed tips in the blender. She made a few faces, but ate it. Unlike the avocado experience. So we have another vegetable to add to the freezer now. Cool.

xxoo.S