things i cannot do while gabriel contemplates sleep

While Gabriel is contemplating sleep, the behaviors in which I must not engage include but are not limited to:

- Looking at the TV, even if it's on mute

- Looking at my phone

- Looking at my ipad

- Looking at a book

- Talking

- Singing or humming

- Knitting

- Writing or drawing

- Eating or drinking

- Shushing the dog

- Changing positions

- Breathing too loudly

- Turning on a light

- Turning off a light

- Attemping to cover the baby with anything

If I break the rules, I get a restless baby who insists on sitting up and crawling around instead of going to sleep. And sometimes I get a restless baby even if I don't break the rules. At which point I consider finding the nearest wall and begin beating my head against it, and then I take a deep breath and remind myself that he will only be this little for a very short time. And then I'm (usually) ready to try again.