Sleep is a valuable thing that influences all aspects of our lives. Shaun has been helping me a lot this last week with getting up with Enoch (9 months old today) at night. Normally, I take it on alone because he works AND goes to school. I really appreciate all he's done.
Please see the short scene I wrote --which may or may not have happened before.
Good Night?
By Lindsay Weldon
CAST
Mother
Baby
Father
Small blue lights up at 20% on crib. Baby Enoch is crying. Mother enters.
Mother
Sssshhhhhh…… Sssshhhhh. I’m here. (Offers bottle to baby) Here you go.
Baby Enoch drinks from bottle.
Mother
How do you wake up every night at 2 am? You have an incredible internal clock…. I shouldn’t be talking to you. It’s suppose to wake you up more…and I want you to go back to sleep. But, tonight I can’t sleep. I could use something meaningful to do…like take care of you.
Baby Enoch coos.
Mother
I love you. You’re so beautiful. I can’t believe how fast you are growing. You used to be microscopic and now your 29 inches long. (Taking bottle away) All done? (Gives baby pacifier) Here you go. Get some sleep sweetheart. I love you.
Mother goes downstage. Light on crib fades out. Lights up downstage on queen size bed with father sleeping under covers.
Mother crawls into bed. Father lifts up from pillow, he’s halfway asleep in a panic.
Father
Is everything okay?
Mother
Yes. I was just feeding Enoch.
Father
What?
Mother
(slower) I was feeding Enoch. He’s fine. Go back to sleep.
Father
Oh.
Mother gets situated. Light goes down almost to black. Crying is heard. Lights go back up on bed. Mother listens for a second. Crying continues. Father rolls over. Mother looks to father. Mother gets up as crying continues and walks to crib.
Lights up on crib. Lights fade out on bed.
Mother
Sssshhhh….sshhh.
Mother
Enoch it’s okay. Ssshhhhhhhh.
Mother picks up baby. Baby stops crying. She walks with him. She lays him back in his bed.
Mother
Goodnight. I love you.
Mother walks back to bed. Lights down on crib. Lights up on bed. Mother crawls back into bed. Father is faintly snoring. Lights out on bed.
Crying is heard from baby in dark. Lights up on bed. Mother rolls over to look at clock.
Mother
It’s only 3! Uuuuhhh….. Enoch.
Crying continues as mother waits.
Father
What…whoa!..what!
Mother
It’s okay sweetheart. You were just dreaming.
Father stands up and walks off stage. Crying is still heard. Father comes back to bed.
Mother
Would you ssshhh him please?
Father
What?
Crying continues
Mother
Would you please go sooth him. Just put your hand on him and shhh him.
Father
What?
Mother
I thought you got up to get him.
Father
I had to go to the bathroom.
Mother
Never mind.
Father gets into bed. Mother gets up abruptly, throwing blankets aside.
Mother goes to crib. Lights fade on bed.
Mother
Shhhhh. It’s okay. Do you need a change? Lost your binki? Here you go sweetheart.
Mother pulls a diaper out of bag hanging on crib and wipe. She changes baby’s diaper while baby stays in crib.
Mother
I love you. Please get some sleep. We both need it.
Mother walks to bed. Crib light goes down. Lights up on bed. Mother again crawls into bed. Father is faintly snoring. Lights down on bed.
General stage lights come up 50%.
Crying heard mixed with cooing. Lights up on bed. Mother moves. Looks at clock. Puts head back on pillow. Father moves. He turns to wife.
Father
When did he eat last? Did he wake up last night?
Mother
He ate around 2. He woke up many times. Could you get him please.
Father
He's up early. He doesn’t let us sleep in on Saturday.
Mother
Nope…6:30 is his regular time to wake up all the time. ……Are you going to get him?
Father
Yeah. Unless you think he’ll go back to sleep.
Mother
Probably not. He’s used to waking up at 6:30.
Father
I’ll get him.
THE END
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It's not very exciting...but relate-able. Have a good week. (Easter's coming and I don't know how to celebrate Holidays with a baby. I don't really think I should buy him chocolate---but tradition is tradition, right?)
