Asher is turning into a human being.
Which means that he was a lump before. Lump sounds so harsh. He was more like luggage. We'd pack up our precious cargo in a big seat that we carried all over as we attempted to live a normal life. In the process of our 8 month travels, I have built up my bisceps so that I resemble Blaze from American Gladiators. The old school version. No scratch that, my arms were like cousin Michelle's. Impressive.
But just my left arm. You know, the one that carries the massive car seat.
Now my luggage has started demanding things out of life, something my Samsonite suitcase has never done, so I'm forced to admit that I'm raising a child. Asher gets upset if you take things away from him, things like my keys, or the toilet plunger, or someone else's cell phone. (Not my cell phone, clearly. See here.) He gets angry if you feed him peas. He gets happy if you feed him sweet potatoes. He looks for the toys he throws off the side of the couch. He starts to anticipate raising his arms if you play So Big with him. His face erupts in a spew of gums and grins and giggles if you even intimate that you might be about to tickle him.
And he recently realized that if he forces himself to wake up every hour or so, mom will come get him at which point he gets to nuzzle and suckle and cuddle. Which is AWESOME.
I've been putting off making him cry it out. I know, he's eight months. It's a bit overdue. But Tal was nine months. And besides, Asher only got up one or maybe two times a night, something I was grateful for when I got up to go running in the morning. (They don't make a sports bra strong enough for the massively engorged.) However, Thursday he got up five times, Friday we hung out from 3:45 to 5:30, and Saturday it was six or seven times.
Last night I called it quits. I slept downstairs in Tal's bed. Which didn't help. I could hear him just fine. But you know what? Though I said a couple of prayers, I wasn't tearing my hair out and mourning in sackcloth and ashes. And though my heart hurt a little bit, I wasn't in a corner in a fetal position with my hands over my ears.
All to say that having a second child is blissful. And so very much easier. I've come a long way, baby.
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I am so sick of hauling around the dumb car seat! But we still have a while to go.
ReplyDeleteLast week Maddie started crying indignantly if she noticed that I was in another room (say, the kitchen, making dinner) and I had left her in her exersaucer. The days of luggage are over for us, too. :)
thanks for the "shout out" as I am watching my body "expand". I can always use a good compliment in this "state". True, true about the one arm getting stronger though:)
ReplyDeleteYou write so eloquently. I love to read it and I can picture you raising your hands at the right moments! You are a great friend! And I am so happy that you were not in a corner crying. Go night number two of crying it out! And I love LOVE that family photo. We have a great system working out for us! Mwah to your fam. We sure love you!
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