Ashley Update: Sleeping Patterns

Sunday was not a normal day in the life of Ashley McAllister. For starters, she was an angel for most of the three-hour block of church. Ashley's a great kid, but three hours of church is a bit much for her, and for good reason. But, this particular sabbath, she was jolly. While she was at church, that is.

With her showing the obvious signs of sleepiness, we put her straight to bed once we arrived home. Not 45 minutes into her normally multi-hour nap, she awakes. She seemed to have gotten all her cheer out at church because for the remainder of the day Ashley decided to be satisfied with nothing and comforted by no one. The constant tone of annoyed moaning bellowed from her throat for hours.

She went down for the night toward the top of the 7-o'clock hour, much to the relief of her parents. The serenity wouldn't last. At precisely 10pm vocal sounds began emanating from Ashley's room. "It couldn't be," we thought. "She's never done this." Luckily the talking subsided just as we were climbing into bed.

Monday brought on a strikingly similar pattern. Ashley wouldn't go down for her afternoon nap, and went to bed rather early. The same sounds began at 10, and as of right now (at 11:30pm) have not ceased.

The difference tonight is that we snuck into her room to install a humidifier. We quietly entered with Ashley sounding like she was sitting up in her crib and facing the door. But, once the dim light of the hallway invaded the child's room the scene was not what we expected at all.

Rather than sitting up and facing the door, our daughter was face down on the mattress completely oblivious to the world. We could hardly keep from laughing at the adorable site. Our daughter, Ashley, was talking in her sleep.