Domestic Struggle for Power

In a fierce struggle for power, I sat there at the edge of Zaido's bed waiting for him to fall asleep. 

He kept nagging he wanted to go sleep in our bed, and there was no way I was going to let that happen. I haven't had any real sleep in three days, because a mom makes one mistake, and it's fatal. You let your kid share your bed once, and that is it! The precedent is done, and it's a legal right for him ever since to creep next to you, hog your pillow, and push you in the waist over and over again, like he was in a tomato squashing fiesta. So I waited and waited, for his eyes to close so I can sneak back to my room, but like a lion pretending not to care, while waiting on his prey to make a wrong move, he slept with his eyes half shut..I admired his long lashes and  wide eyes, with sleepy eyes myself..it was after all three in the morning, and I'd hardly got any sleep yet. I was doing the impossible to prevent myself from resting my head on his bed, because I would certainly fall asleep, and he would have won. It was his plan B, as a way of compromise, if I did not let plan A go through, to have me sleep next to him..but again, this was a power struggle and I was not about to surrender..not just yet. Problem is, in this struggle, he did have the upper hand. He was lying in his bed, on his pillow, snuggled up with his favorite blankie..not like me sitting on the edge, half sleeping in an upright position on the edge of his bed, swinging back and forth , to the right and to the left, worried about the alarm that will go off in less than 3 hours, while I hadn't actually slept yet. But the thing he was extorting me with the most, was the fact that he'd just fell, and said I should only stay with him till the wawa was gone. Now whenever he sensed an unwanted movement on my side, he'd go: "Ay, ay, aaaay!" and touch the side of his head which he'd hit while falling..not like he doesn't fall around 12 times a day! then he goes back to sleep, and the next time I'd move the Ay ay would get louder and stronger. Maybe I was there for around an hour when I thought its's safe now..I'd better make my exit! I resisted the urge to kiss him and pull back his blankie to cover his shoulders, and just left as quietly as possible.

 I rested my head on my pillow and was about to declare victory when I felt his hand pushing my back to make room for himself..it did not take him a minute..not even 30 seconds..and I got up and went crazy."that's it "I said.."you're going back to you room.!"

"But I'm in pain!! and my bed's not that soft, and my blankie is cold, and my room is noisy!!"

"NO! back to your bed!!",and he just made himself comfortable, pulled up the duvet, and dug his feet in baba's back! 

I threatened to never talk to him again, since this seems to be the only thing that works nowadays, but he did not care.

So I left to his room, sat on his bed and waited for him to get some sense, and he did not..well not on his own at least, but when baba's had it with the pushing and screamed, he came back to mama..

"6ayyeb, I will sleep..but you have to stay here.."

"NO"

"6ab get me some water"

"get me some water shoo?"

"get me some water, please!"

"ok..just a little and you go to sleep!"

So I bring the water, and he's like: " Put it there, I don't want any right now!!!"

A three year old tyran!! mashi ya sidi..at least he seems to have given up, and I win.

Or do I?

In my bed, and about to sleep..

"Mama, soat el 3ammo kteer 3ali" el 3ammo is the moathen calling for prayer. The new mosque which was only opened beginning of Ramadan is so loud, no where else it's this loud..I'd think the speakers were on my bed side table..so we wait till 3ammo finishes and go back to bed.

Before my alarm rings at 5.45..Zaido calls me: "Mama , khalasty noam? Are you done sleeping?"

Am I done sleeping..did I sleep yet, you mean? I decide to keep it to myself..it's just not worth it..lets start a new day, and hope for better luck tonight!

September 2007