Things that go bump in the night

Christian, aka the love of my life, introduced me to horror movies when we had only been dating a few weeks. And when I say horror, I mean horror - his favourites are Japanese movies like Ring and The Grudge. Even though I know they're just stories up on the big screen, they give me nightmares and I inevitably end up watching through my fingers. Call me soft, kooky, whatever you like - I believe in ghosts and nothing you say can convince me otherwise!! We had been to see Paranormal Activity at the movies when I was pregnant with Maisie, and it took me three nights to sleep without watching our bedroom door. So when the sequel came out, Christian was uber-keen to see it...while I was reluctant, to say the least. Besides, I thought, how often do we get to go to the movies? Once in a blue moon?? Ha.

Last week, Christian's parents offered to watch the kids for us, so we went to see 'Eat Pray Love'. It was wonderful and I love love loved every minute. We even bought the soundtrack the next day! (and may I say, the kids have boogied along to the soundtrack in the car for a week now, and seem to enjoy it immensely). So I didn't actually think for a minute that we would be seeing the inside of a cinema for at least another 6 months. However, this weekend we were offered babysitting again (I think they are anticipating grandkids-withdrawal symptoms when we move out this week), and you never knock that back, do you? So off we trooped to see Paranormal Activity 2. This time, however, I put some conditions in place. I don't think Christian thought I would actually make him stick to them, but if he wanted me to accompany him to the movies, I would go on the proviso that a) he would not laugh at me when I watched through my fingers, b) he would not insist on telling me what I had just missed in gruesome detail, and c) he would get up with me for Maisie's night feeds. Fair enough?

Well, the cinema was full of teenagers who screamed and laughed and gasped at every loud noise, which actually helped alleviate my anxiety!! To Christian's credit, he did not laugh at me when I sat for a good ten minutes hiding behind my hands, and he didn't tell me a thing until I asked. I managed to miss the really, really, really scary bits, but the audio was enough for my imagination! When we arrived home, Maisie Mouse was having a good yell, so I was able to feed her and forget about the horrors of the silver screen for a little while...and then we all went to bed.

When Maisie woke me around 1am (calling out for a night feed she really doesn't need anymore but which I seem unable to stop), my normally comatose husband surprised me by asking if I wanted the light on. Now, since I have been getting up in the dark, alone, for night feeds for as long as I can remember, this was something new! Like most mums, I have spent hours sitting on my own in the gloaming, feeding or just holding a wide-awake baby. I have seen more movies than is healthy for my over-active imagination, meaning that I probably would not be surprised if I came out of the nursery to find a lady in white sitting on the couch...just kidding!! But when you are sitting there at night with nothing but your thoughts and the gulping of a thirsty baby, all sorts of things pass through your mind. I think about shopping lists, people I need to phone, jobs that need doing, the practicalities of getting a double stroller and a four-year-old through K-Mart without carnage, the funny things that kids have said or done recently - for example, Phoebe announced solemnly yesterday, "Mum, I've done a poo. A ormous poo. It's simply ormous. It's huge." When I had stopped laughing, I realised that I would have to clean up the "ormous" poo...now there's a horror story for you!! I suppose I am exceptionally lucky to have such trivial matters to mull over in the wee small hours, as opposed to real (or imagined) horrors, such as a sick child (or a demon in the house, for that matter!) Sometimes I might get caught up in worrying thoughts, which almost always feel much worse at 3am. And as far as unusual noises are concerned? I try to not to pay any attention! (although there was one night when Phoebe's musical bus kept turning itself on...another blog, anyone??)

Maisie only had a short feed (again, I know I should wean her off this feed, but it's just so much easier and quieter to feed her back to sleep...bad mummy, bad mummy!), and I really enjoyed the company. Christian surfed Facebook on his phone (and was quite disappointed at the lack of new status updates during the early hours of the morning) and we chatted - if only night feeds were always this social! I settled Maisie back in her cot and fell almost immediately into a dreamless sleep - thank goodness!! My darling hubby on the other hand, had nightmares all night - karma, anyone??

Tonight being Sunday night, I know the chances of having company during the wee hours will be very slim. It's not fair to expect Christian to sit up with me and then get up at 5:30am for work...but I tell you what, I will not be shy in waking him if I start hearing funny noises, or seeing black shadows creep across the walls...and perhaps I might wreak vengeance of my own sort in the near future - isn't there another Twilight movie coming out soon? That would be enough to give any husband nightmares!!!!!