That's a new one

For months and months Elizabeth has been waking up one or more times a night. It usually happens with a full-on screaming fit. Naturally, we have tried approaches to discouraging this behavior, with uneven success.

My response is generally to go into her room and ask (sternly) "What do you want?" She usually wants water ("You don't need any water, go to sleep") or her blanket ("you can find it yourself") or needs to go pee ("then get up and go to the bathroom"). It's a little ritual we have.

Lately, she has stopped screaming, which is nice. Now, she just whimpers, either in her bed or at the door, which are great improvements. This has been for the past couple of weeks.

At 4:30am this morning she sat wimpering at the door, and I came downstairs, knelt down, and opened the door. "Elizabeth, what do you need?"

She paused for a moment, and then said, "I need a big hug."

So I gave her one.