The Wolf Strikes Back

Just when I was cresting a point of parenthood where I was thinking, 'I got this' my offspring decided to throw me for yet another loop.  For the better part of a month or so, he has been waking up at least one time a night. Not screaming in pain or nightmares. No, he really just wants me to come in there and hang out with him while he sleeps.  As long as there is a hand placed firmly on his back, he is content. The second you say good night and head out of the room, he hastily yanks the blanket off and is posted up in his crib the closest he can get to the door.  Whine/crying.  The sound is truly pathetic that draws this sucker momma in each and every time.  I was constantly telling myself that I should go in because he could be wet/teething/feverish/thirsty/etc..... At one point I did see a fleeting flash of white on his gums when he doesn't clam up on me, and chalked his recent night diatribes up to that he was finally teething.  Last night, I had had enough.  I felt that he was working me, as the previous night I had gone in there four times, to pat his back and then just stand there by his crib as he constantly checked to make sure I was still there whilst drowsily sucking his thumb.  Enough of that, I said and when he started up last night, as I proceeded to turn the monitor volume down lower and attempt a fitful night of sleep.  Fast forward an hour and a half.  Still at it.  Damn this child is determined!  About and hour and 40 minutes in, I caved in and went in for the ritual pat down.  He settled down in mere moments and I frustratingly told he good night and took my duped self back to bed.  Start the crying again...another hour passes.  I am becoming sleep deprived angry at this point, and take in a heaping dose of Tylenol in and a cup of water.  Momentary silence, until I walked away and the cry/whine became more of a frantic wail. I could take it for only another 30 minutes and it dawned on me.  His diaper.  Poor child has been dealing with a pretty rowdy batch of rash, but my husband and I have been dosing him with copious amounts of cream to alleviate he problem.  Call it a mother's intuition, but we took that diaper off and the pungent smell of my son's overpowering ammonia diaper took over.  That could not feel good on a bump covered tush.  After the clean diaper was on, he settled right down and is still sleeping at this point.  Sleep continued to evade me as I lie in bed thinking about what had just happened.  Has his rash been bothering he so much? Was he just so worn down that he finally fell asleep?  I will never know, but I can definitely tell you that I am gun shy over not going into his room at night.