Can you solve Clarke Gayford's late night word search?

As baby Neve Te Aroha Arden Gayford settles into her daily routine, it looks like her night-time habits are still causing Dad a bit of stress.

Don't get us wrong, for the most part it seems Clarke Gayford has taken to his new role like a fish to water. But apparently not everything is going entirely swimmingly for the stay-at-home dad.

Today, (read: very, very early today) Gayford took to Twitter in a word search of sorts.

Lying awake in the middle of the night, he shared with the internet his latest internal struggle: trying to find the right word to define the dichotomy of worry and joy he was experiencing as his little one lay silently sleeping.

He tweeted: "There must be a word for when you are lying wide awake but your baby's still asleep and you are filled with 50% joy and relief at this sleeping miracle. But also 50% sheer terror and crippingly (sic) worry that she's actually ok."

There must be a word for when you are lying wide awake but your baby's still asleep and you are filled with 50% joy and relief at this sleeping miracle. But also 50% sheer terror and crippingly worry that she's actually ok.

— Clarke Gayford (@NZClarke) August 28, 2018

Fellow up-all-night parents on Twitter were quick to jump in and offer advice to the new dad.

Perhaps the best response was from Bussy McBusface, who explained the word Gayford was looking for was "parenting".

Comedian Jaquie Brown jumped in too, supporting McBusface's complex definition.

Yeah, it’s called parenthood.

— Jaquie Brown (@JaquieBrown) August 28, 2018

Another parent suggested "normal" was the word the Prime Minister's partner might be searching for.

‘Normal’, Clarke. The word is ‘normal’.

It’s the newness of it all that is terrifying. We’re self-organising adults & suddenly this little being is totally dependant on her parents.

Which is why your village wraps around you. It’s ok to ask.
We’re here 👵🏻💚❤️

— KatieBackInLockdownAgain (@anarkaytie) August 28, 2018

Another, possibly fellow sufferer, labelled the sensation "firstchilditis".

I'll go for "firstchilditis" :-)

— 100% Pākehā (@GrahamOliver8) August 28, 2018

Earlier in the month, Gayford also took to Twitter at 4am while trying to get Neve to nod off. Here he shared how much precision he's realised is required to get a baby to sleep.

"Ah yes of course it was the 2 finger bum tap while rocking just off 180 degrees with light on dim and white noise rolling waves on beach not waves on rocks mind you, and only if turned to the east. That. finally. induced. sleep," he wrote.

"It seems so obvious now as I lay here SO AWAKE."

Ah yes of course it was the 2 finger bum tap while rocking just off 180 degrees with light on dim and white noise rolling waves on beach not waves on rocks mind you, and only if turned to the east.
That. finally. induced. sleep.
It seems so obvious now as i lay here SO AWAKE👀

— Clarke Gayford (@NZClarke) August 17, 2018

And in another parenting advice tweet, again at the ungodly hour of 4am, Gayford rated a zip-up onesie against a dome-buttoned number and a double-zipped option. His research led him to deduce the latter was trumps.

4am conclusions.
Zip up onesies are > dome button onesies but a double zip onesie is > than them all.

— Clarke Gayford (@NZClarke) July 16, 2018