Thursday, December 9, 2010

ninna nanna



"ninna nanna ninna o
 questo bimbo a chi lo do se lo do a la befana se lo tiene una settimana 
 se lo do al uomo nero se lo tiene un anno intero
 ninna nanna ninna o" 



This Italian nursery rhyme  has been sung and passed on from centuries ago, actually they say it originated in the 1950's and yet still today we sing the very tune that was sung to us years back. Except this nursery rhyme was written in the mist of a war, during a really  hard and sad time in southern Italy.   Translated word for word, this lullaby would not make Freddy Kruger sleep it's so unsettling! (If i give you to the fairy she'll keep you for a week and if i give you to the dark man he'll keep you for a year) what????
Thankfully we don't listen to the words, it's mommies voice that puts us to sleep,  and yet I wonder if subconsciously it's an explanation for Lewis waking up crying some nights!

 Sleepy time  became another obstacle - I don't know when it happened but we did and still do rock our son to sleep-
shhh don't tell the critics.... every one has a theory on this too... as soon as the baby falls asleep put him down. Except most of the time I fall asleep with him from pure exhaustion ( breastfeeding every 2 hours!!!) Some say, put him in his crib and let him fall asleep on his own,  and I tried this; it worked for awhile when Lewis was about a month old. He would fall asleep on his own, I would put him down and before I knew it he was out. It didn't last very long, because I vaguely remember that time. Before I knew it, he was fussy and not wanting to sleep.  Exhaustion was written all over his tiny face, and yet he fought it with all his might.... so the rocking started, I enjoyed it too, really. It never took really long, a few sways and poof he was out, no harm in that right? Well the rocking became a ritual and some nights I didn't feel like rocking and well, it was too late. Feel it or not you're rocking or you ain't sleeping get it? So rock rock rock till that doesn't help anymore, now it's tap rock shake... tap, rock, shake, rock, tap shake, tap shake rock...... I'm getting nauseous.  

Then we leave for a one week holiday and there is no rocking chair so I improvise with the stroller and once inside, I used the bed; I would bounce up and down, it worked -OUT!
People on the resort thought I was nuts !!! I found this cobblestone road which helped Lewis fall asleep,  but boy you gotta stroll fast ! They must have called us crazy!!! I thought I was until one morning I run into a family with a toddler,  the mom was watching me hurry along the path to help Lewis fall asleep , as we all get closer together, she smiles at me, that mother smile, and says "it'll pass" . Words of comfort and reassurance, words that I needed to hear. I wasn't the only one giving my child shaken child syndrome!!!! IT'LL PASS, (Oh thank you blonde lady in Punta Cana). She made me feel normal and  most of all gave me hope. 

So whatever the books say, great, and if you can follow it and it works, great! But if you have to improvise and get creative don't you worry this too will pass. And one day you'll wonder if you remember how it feels to rock your kid..... I definitely won't forget!!!

Buona Notte
L&L

2 comments:

  1. Great Great info Laura!!! Your stories at some point get really funny! I love the way you write...its like I can hear you saying the story!!! You're AMAZING!!! I LOVE YOU!!!xxooxoxo
    P.S GORGEOUS PIC!!!!!

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