The Night I Lost a Few Hours of Sleep

I know that my son has completely spoiled me, so I have no real right to complain here, but I'm going to! Like I said.. I've been spoiled.

I was blessed with a very good sleeper (please don't hate me!!) From when he was born up until about 3 months of age, he was falling asleep at 6pm, waking up once during the night around 3am to eat, then back asleep until about 6-6:30am. Starting around 3 months, he started sleeping through the night. Like 12 to 13 hours through the night. Still falling asleep around 6 and not waking up until anywhere from 6 to 7 the next morning.

We had a little week long spell a few weeks ago where he was waking up around 2am and having a little party in his crib.. talking to himself for about a 1/2 hour until he fell back asleep on his own. Then.. back to normal. Until last night..

Gahhhh... I don't know what got into him, but I was up with him off and on from 2-4! Everything I've read about sleep training.. which btw has clearly worked wonderfully for us.. told me NOT to pick him up and feed him during the night. He's 5 months old and should be able to sleep though the night without eating. So I didn't. Until about 3:45 when I couldn't take it anymore and it's started to be very clear to me that he was starving I believe. I thought maybe his gums were bothering him (how the heck am I supposed to know what's bothering this kid anyways???) but maybe all along he really was... just a little hungry. Growth spurt?

I fed him. I wanted to cuddle him back to sleep since we haven't done that in so long. He had other things in mind.. like playing. So I put him down and he fell back asleep within 5 minutes.

Here is the real question though ~ when we have nights like these... how is it that I wake up feeling like a zombie and he wakes up in the greatest mood ever and ready to seize the day?? Good thing he's adorable... how can I be frustrated when he flashes me that huge smile of his??