Early Sleep Routines

Leia has an interesting sleep routine that she needs about every third night. When she’s cranky and can’t get to sleep she likes to be held on her back. Her butt is against my diaphram. My right hand is holding her hips and my left hand is holding her head. This way she gets to look me square in the face. I’ll hold her like this, bounce gently and sing to her. In this position there are two song that invariably get her to drift off to sleep: Traffic’s Low Spark of High Heeled Boys and John Barleycorn Must Die. Either of these songs usually puts her to sleep. They’re both long and gentle enough to sooth her softly.

The only problem is, she often wakes up when I stop singing. Sigh.

--e