Are you sleeping? Are you sleeping? S & H, S & H...

H often talks in his sleep. S does too. I do too. I've even cried and laughed in my sleep, freaking hubby out, who thought I was possessed by jinn, nauzubillah.

One night, H had already fallen asleep on the top bunk, while S and N were still awake on the bottom bunk. I was gathering my stuff from the computer table to bring downstairs. Suddenly, H uttered something. Reactively, I asked,

"Huh?"

He moved and peeked at at S below, and said,

"Just think of someone."

Then he lay back down on his pillow and slept, or as I realized it then, continued sleeping.

I chuckled, and S's puzzled expression turned to one of amusement and then mirth. As I walked out the door, I was still chuckling. I wondered what he was dreaming about.

There was once when he was busy memorizing Surah Mutafifeen, and was stuck at this one ayah. Exhausted, he fell asleep on the couch while the rest of us bustled around the kitchen and living room for dinner. Suddenly, eyes still closed, he recited that 'problem' ayah out loud. A pity I can't recall the exact ayah.

The other night, the kids were all sleeping except for Baby Z, who was wailing at his diaper being changed. His diaper changing table is in the kids' room, so every night, around 11 p.m. hubby would wash his bottom under the running tap water in the tub, and head to the kids room. I happened to be there that night, with hubby and Baby Z when suddenly, S reached out both hands in Baby Z's direction, just as she always did whenever she wanted to pick him up. Her eyes were still closed though. I stood there agape, and turned to hubby, who had also witnessed it.

I stifled a bubbling giggle as I realized what had happened. Hubby, as usual, expert at making a joke out of almost everything, grabbed Lucy/Lucky (the big fluffy cream-colored teddy bear) and handed it to sleeping S. She took it and continued sleeping, unaware that her parents were laughing at her.

Talking in your sleep is pretty normal to me. Crying in your sleep is normal for me. I don't do it all the time, but I have done it, of course not on purpose. Laughing in your sleep is pretty bizarre, and I've only done it once so far. Nevertheless, loving your baby brother so much that even in your sleep, you respond to his cries by reaching out your arms to embrace him is ... amazing? (for lack of a better word, which seems to be eluding me this late at night).