We all know how most babies at some point pick a favorite stuffed animal. The one they’re so attached to, you even bought more of the exact same one, just in case the first one gets lost.
But they also get attached to other things in their surroundings. In the bedroom, for example. Something that’s always there, reassuring them somehow.
Sophia has it with her camera. A Clever Dog. We got it as a gift from my mother when she was four months. In order to give me a secure feeling.
I used to wake up all night, hardly getting any sleep. I jumped out of bed multiple times a night to go and check if she was still alright. Of course she was always asleep, nothing wrong. But I couldn’t see it from our bedroom, so I’d rather see it with my own eyes.
Yes. It was hell. I was tired, which wasn’t even necessary, as my daughter was a great sleeper.
Hurray for the camera
The first night the camera hung above Sophia’s crib, I felt such a relief. I could finally check up on her, without actually having to get out of bed. I just kept the application on, laid my phone next to my pillow. Every time I would wake up, I just opened my eyes, checked the screen. And then I went back to sleep.
Shortly after, we noticed Sophia started looking right into the camera. As if she knew we were watching (over) her. It was pretty strange. Was she already so clever to notice the camera that was aimed at her bed?
It looked a bit creepy, her eyes glooming right into the lens. But the camera always had a bright light on, so she could just be looking at the light. Who knows what she was really looking at.
Sophia grew and became more and more aware of the extra eye above her bed. She would start talking to it as soon as she woke up. And if she didn’t want to sleep, she threw everything outside of her crib, giving a daring look at the camera.
We moved places, and she pendeled between different rooms. Yet, the camera never failed to be there.
Until our last move.
Her grandmother wanted to share the bedroom with her, so we decided to wait with hanging up the camera. Sophia would have someone with her every night anyway and it didn’t feel right to watch my mother in law sleeping.
When grandmother left, Sophia had her room back on her own. The first night she was so tired she went to sleep without any trouble.
After that, her naps went fine as well. But at night she started making a drama and refused to sleep in her own room. She cried, screamed, shouted and threw all of her animals and her pacifier out of her crib. We always caved and let her sleep with us, but we did give it a new try every single night.
Until I told Luis we really had to install the camera again. I felt she knew something was missing. The camera had became such a big part of Sophia and her sleeping ritual. Every. Single. Time. She was awake, she would talk to it. And now it wasn’t there. I could imagine it felt weird.
A couple of days ago I tried bringing her to bed, and once again she didn’t agree. Luis went for the camera, installed it and left the room. All of a sudden Sophia seemed to make herself comfortable and laid down as well.
Again hurray for the camera
That night she slept like a baby. And the night that followed as well. Even though she wasn’t even tired enough to fall asleep, but not a single tear was shed. No neighbours who scratched themselves behind their ears for the bad luck of living next to a family with a toddler reaching toddler puberty. Instead, she sat up and played. Spoke to the camera. Tried sleeping again. Sat straight and played again. Until she finally fell asleep. Safe and sound, with the camera watching over her.
So, this little lifesaver that was originally meant to comfort me, now seems to do an even more important job in making Sophia feel safe at night. The camera, and her nightlight.
If she knows it’s us watching her? We still have no clue. What we do know is that her camera became an unmissable part of her sleeping ritual. And that she probably is very much aware of the fact that someone will come walking in very soon after the all-seeing eye of the camera has seen she is awake.
It’s also soothing to know that this Clever Dog will save me – and my family – from many sleepless nights with a possible next newborn.
Above a link to the exact same camera we used. It’s perfect, easy to use and easily accesible by phone.
So, are you a mom and do you notice you’re a bit paranoid about your baby when it’s asleep and not being able to see if all goes well inside it’s bedroom? Please do yourself a favor and get a camera. It’ll benefit you and your whole family.
P.S. The camera has another benefit. A sleeping baby is SO cute. I noticed I couldn’t stop watching her while she was sleeping. With a camera you can peek, without making noise!
P.P.S. No, I won’t add any pictures of me while sleeping in peace. You’ll just have to imagine that view for yourself ;-).
