THUMP THUMP CREAK.
That's the sound of tiny baby feet drumming on the cradle mattress.
You screw your eyes shut harder, concentrate on the dreams that are just out of reach. She'll go back to sleep.
THUMP THUMP. AblaaaaahblaaaahBLAAAAAaaaaaahhhh.....
"Shhhhhhh, shhhhhh," you say. You've had luck with that a few times. There's still a chance she'll relax and snooze some more.
ABLABLABlahblah! THUMP THUMP THUMP.
Your dreams have fled in fear, all your muscles are tense, and you might as well open your eyes - the next sound will either be an escalation to outright crying, the sound of the baby throwing up out of the cradle onto the rug, or the sound of a diaper being noisily filled. Take your pick!
The nap count today:
1) 1.5 minutes
2) 20 minutes
3) 5 minutes
At some point you give up on trying to lay down when she does; this will invariably be the time she sleeps for 3 hours.
Not sleeping: