life with a new baby
Posts tagged crying
As Time Progresses
Mar 16th
Nathan going through this big Separation Anxiety phase right now, so I’ve been having to carry him around a lot. Because if I don’t, the little guys just cries his little heart out, as if the lack of my presence is the most painful thing he’s ever endured IN HIS LIFE.
Oh, little guy. There are so many other things in life that are so much worse than Mommy taking 2 minutes to PEE.
I’ve had to carry him around so much so that I swear my right arm has become significantly stronger than my left one. Hopefully, it won’t be as obvious as that dude from Lady in the Water, though. I thought the size difference in his arms was just creepy.
But you know what? Nathan totally makes up for this semi- frustrating phase by doing some really super duper cute things. For instance, he hasn’t mastered the whole bending over thing, so when he’s holding onto the coffee table and drops a toy, he’ll slowly move his legs into the splits until he’s low enough to retrieve his toy. And all the bubbly noises he makes as he plays with his toys are just downright adorable. So are those cheeky grins and his laughter that is so hearty that it often reverberates throughout the room.
How I love watching him develop. I get so nostalgic watching him play sometimes because as I watch him, I’m thinking about how just BARELY A YEAR AGO, he was this tiny, helpless, and very loud miniature human who couldn’t even hold his head up on his own, much less make his way around a room.
I am in constant awe at how quickly the time passes.
Nathan’s First Birthday!
Feb 28th
Well, we celebrated Nathan’s birthday this weekend! I still can’t believe my baby is no longer considered an infant. He’s a officially a KID now. With opinions. And attitudes to go with those opinions. But it’s funny because when I look at him, I still see my little baby. Never mind he’s not 100% dependant and no longer drinking out of a bottle. I mean, how can he not still be a baby? It’s only been a year. It was only a short year ago that he inhaled his first breath. So how can he have possibly grown so much in such a short period of time? He’s still my baby and I have a funny feeling HE ALWAYS WILL BE. I’m afraid to blink. Time is passing me by.
Speaking of growing up, guess what Nathan did on his birthday!
HE PULLED HIMSELF UP. ALL THE WAY!
Before now, he would attempt to pull himself up but would only make it halfway before plopping back down with a thud. But he did it, he pulled himself up into the standing position!
He only just started crawling not even two weeks ago. I wonder how soon it will be before he takes his first steps and starts cruising on the furniture.
So here’s some super cute pictures of his very first birthday for you to enjoy.
About to unwrap one of his gifts
Look at what I did!
I don’t know what this is, Mommy, but it looks fun!
(It’s a ride-on and walk-behind dump truck toy)
Not sure what to think about his miniature birthday cake and the well-out-of-reach candle
But he definitely didn’t like when we blew it out
Paul gave Nathan a bite, hoping he would like it enough to eat it
But Nathan did not like the cake.
So Nathan still isn’t big on “people food” yet. He still likes his food pureed, so we weren’t all that surprised when he didn’t like his birthday cake. Which is why we gave him a small bite to start off with. But Nathan still let us know in no uncertain terms that he wasn’t happy with our trickery.
NOT ONE BIT.
But even with a few tears here and there, his first birthday was a lot of fun. Well, Nathan had no idea what all the fuss was about, but all the adults really enjoyed it.
There’s always next year for the Messy Cake Picture, right?
Life With a One Year Old
Feb 20th
As of next week, my little baby will no longer be considered an infant. Now, it’s life with a ONE YEAR OLD.
And it can be really frustrating, I think mostly because Nathan has all these emotions and feelings but he has no way to communicate them. One minute, he’s my sweet little guy… all smiles and dripping drool. The very next minute, he’s like an animal… howling, screeching, pinching, smacking, and simply being defiant.
And it can be over something as simple as feeding him something like pears.
It doesn’t matter that yesterday, pears were his favorite food. Because today, they are NOT his favorite food. And I’m his mother, so apparently, I’m supposed to be his personal mind-reader, because he acts like he simply CANNOT believe that I would have the utter audacity to GIVE HIM PEARS.
And don’t even get me started on diaper changes.
He used to be fine with them. Then one day, out of the clear blue, he suddenly turned into this wriggling snake-like being who defied the changing-table restraint straps like a force to be reckoned with. What used to take only a couple of minutes has now turned into a battle of wills.
Nathan does not want his diaper changed.
I do.
So he twists and contorts and screams, and I coax and cajole and try to be as fast as I can.
And when Nathan and I are just hanging out and playing, sometimes he’ll push me away when I try to hug him. I try not to take it personally because, hell, he’s only a year old and has no concept of other people’s feelings. But when I bend over to hug him or pick him up and he pushes me away, I can’t help but feel like little pang of sadness.
My baby wants to be independent.
And when he’s in the floor playing with the toys that surround him, he’ll suddenly get upset for whatever reason. And he will slap his toys away, throw his arm dramatically over his eyes, and cry while intermittently peeking out from under his arm to make sure I’m watching this spectacle.
But he also has his really sweet moments… moments that make my heart swell up with so much love that it feels like I’m about to float away on a wispy cloud of pure bliss. Like when we wake up from a nap and he rubs my cheek every so gently.
With a hand coated in slobber.
But then he forgets he’s supposed to be gentle when touching my face and will smack me out of sheer… love. Can you believe it? He loves me so much that he gets super excited and starts smacking my face. I tried explaining that domestic violence isn’t how you show love, but of course he doesn’t quite get that concept.
Sometimes he even tries to yank off my lips. AS IF THEY ARE DETACHABLE.
It’s absolutely amazing watching him grow. A year ago, he was 100% dependant on me for every single thing. Now? Now, he’s becoming a little more independent each day. I’ve watched him grow from this helpless little being into someone with his own personality and his own wants and needs. I’ve watched him learn how to roll over, how to sit up, how to crawl… and I cry a little (JUST A LITTLE) each time he masters a new skill.
And nothing beats when he wraps his little arms around my neck and gives me a hug or nestles into my hair.
Ah, living life with a one-year old. It’s never, ever dull. Or boring.
Sleep, You Have Been Missed
Feb 19th
Ever since Nathan was a little bitty guy, he’s fought nap time. When I would lay him down for a nap, he would either play in his crib or have a total meltdown, neither of which resulted in any sleep. And on the rare occasions when he would fall asleep, he’d only nap for 20-45 minutes.
Once a day.
Only getting one nap for such a short period of time wasn’t doing Nathan (or me) any good. Nathan would be so tired and grumpy the entire day. Which made me tired and grumpy. And it’s not fun taking care of a tired and grumpy infant when you’re tired and grumpy yourself.
So I started cosleeping with him during nap time, and it has worked like a charm.
Now, he always falls asleep. He sleeps 2-3 hours in such a deep, comfortable sleep that he doesn’t even move or roll over. Plus, I get to nap as well. Even though sometimes I don’t feel like sleeping so I just lay there and listen to him breathe. The only complaint I have about taking a nap with him is that I lose a big chunk of time in the middle of the day to get stuff done. So yeah, laundry’s a bit behind.
And I have an eternally stiff neck and a crick in my shoulder from laying in one single position the whole time we nap. Every day. See, Nathan will only sleep if we are facing each other. So if I roll over and face the other direction, he wakes up and whimpers until I roll back over and face him again. Then, it’s back to sleep. Which is really freaking cute and all, but sometimes it kinda sucks when you’re DYING to roll over but you can’t.
But who cares, right?
Because there are finally people getting some sleep in this house!
That’s a pretty big deal.
I’m happy. Nathan’s happy. In fact, Nathan is so happy during naps now that he even he snuggles into the crook of my arm and wiggles his toes lazily with contentment, which is a stark contrast to how Nathan used to react to naps… with meltdowns and huge, heartbreaking tears.
Now, I totally understand why so many moms cosleep with their infants.
Recent Comments
That's so cute that he even picked up saying mmmmmm while he chews! .-= Suzicate´s last blog ..Pinkies From Heaven =-.
I'm definitely looking forward to this phase being over, for sure!
I remember being a slave to separation anxiety! .-= Suzicate´s last blog ..Pinkies From Heaven =-.
There's nothing like turning something so gross and STINKY into something so unbelievably hilarious!!