One of the best things about caring for families at night is silence. Knowing everyone is peacefully sleeping and getting the restorative sleep they need makes my heart happy.

I love the quiet. It gives me an opportunity to calm my mind and take a deep breath. I may spend this time watching babies sleep and observing them as they connect their sleep cycles. Baby sleep is precious. The little sighs and grunts as they go from quiet to active sleep. Soft breathing, smiles, twitching, and scowls. I often wonder what their little brains think of this big, new world they live in.

I watch the change of seasons. Nothing is more quiet than snow falling. Late sunsets and gentle rain . The phases of the moon . I observe it all.

I read, catch up on administrative work, watch Netflix, rest my tired eyes, and sometimes just sit in silence. It’s often my favorite time of day (or night).

The night was going so well. This little one had been struggling with falling asleep and returning to sleep during the night. Even with rocking and shushing and feeding, the family had not slept more than 2 hours for the past 6 months. We were a couple weeks in and he was beginning to relax in his bed and was falling asleep in just a few minutes.

As I scrolled looking for a good rom-com I heard something very big try to force itself through the large picture window of the nursery. Now, I’m more of a lover and not a fighter but I jumped up instantly to put my 5’2″ frame between the sleeping baby and whatever was going to burst through the glass to get him! I made myself as big as I could while feeling like a tiny girl inside. And nothing. No sound, no beast, and no crying from the baby.

What should I do??? The alarm system was not set so I knew I didn’t have that to worry about. Do I wake the parents? What if it was nothing and now I disturbed their sleep over my fear? Should I grab the baby and flee the room? I couldn’t bring myself to slide the curtains back to check it out.

I called my business partner. I knew she was working as well and would answer since I would only make a phone call if there was an emergency. She answered and I frantically tried to explain that their was a monster outside and I was going to wrestle it in to submission!

She told me to look outside. Nope! Not going to happen! She calmed me down and reassured me that it was most definitely not a baby seeking demon.

The rest of the night I was on edge and terrified to leave the baby in the room alone. I sat on the edge of the bed just waiting for the glass to shatter in fire and fury!

Five a.m. arrived and as I gathered up my belongings and gazed at the sleeping baby one more time, I realized I was going to have to go outside. In the dark. Where the fire breathing, claw wielding dragon was waiting. My heart sank and my stomach rose in to my throat. The nursery window faced the street, where my car was parked.

I couldn’t wait until daylight, I couldn’t wake the family, and I was so tired all I wanted to do was go home to my bed! I put my keys through my fingers (if you know, you know) and braced myself for whatever was beyond the front door. Opening the door as quietly as I could so I would wake no one, including the beast, I ran. Hard and fast I ran to the car ready to swing my bag and stab it with my keys!

Safe in the car, I didn’t even bother to look up! I backed out quickly and drove in to the morning darkness. I was relieved to be headed home!

*I called to check in with the parents later that day and asked them if they had heard anything (very nonchalantly, of course!) and they said no. After sending her husband out to investigate, they found an owl who did not survive the collision. RIP flying nightstalker.*