Daily's? Whatever.
Meme has been here just over a week now. She is so different in so many ways - she is funnier, cuter, more interactive, more amusing! This must be what it's like to have more than a couple of children: the way in which the youngest always turns out to be a spoiled attention seeking brat... because seriously, every single thing she does makes me laugh. I can lay in bed at night getting ready to drift off into sleep and I will get an image of her standing in her crib holding up her arms to me, her little starfish hand spread wide and her crinkle nosed wide mouthed grin waiting for me and I can feel my half asleep self smile broadly. She brings me such joy. I do spoil her... I rock her to sleep in my arms nearly every night, singing to her every song I can think of and repeating them over and over until her breathing gets slow and deep and the weight of her just sags into my chest.
We have but one small problem. Meme likes to be held. All. The. Time. I was putting away laundry the other night and she was screaming bloody murder, as if someone had hurt her, just screaaaaaaming as she crawled after me room to room while I deposited clean folded laundry into the kids' rooms. I proceeded to hang up and put away my own laundry while she hollered inconsolably on the floor near me. I spoke to her softly and encouragingly to no avail. When I was finally able to pick her up, she screamed even louder now in anger.
That is how today has gone also. Though I sat on the floor and had my hand on her back, my other hand was busy scrubbing the hardwood floor and it just wasn't enough for her. She cried and cried great gasping breaths with snot pouring from her nose and drool flowing from her mouth. I waited until she was quiet for a moment before I picked her up and put her on my lap. She wound down her cries into hiccuping sobs before getting distracted with some cheerios. What do I do? She must learn that I cannot hold her every second... but yet her screaming is enough to drive my darling hubs from the house in pursuit of his sanity.
Oh ye smart moms... what do I do? She was this way before, but I assumed it was a "new environment" issue, plus she was a mere 10 months old and so I held her as much as I could. Now she is 13 months and mobile and ... still screeching intolerably. HELP ME!
3 comments:
Knowing what little I do of her history, she probably has some attachment needs that are a higher degree than the average baby.
Have you thought of maybe getting a ring sling? I've heard wonderful things about them. Some can be very expensive and others are not too bad. It just depends on how fancy you get, I think. :)
I think at 13 months and mobile, she can be in the same room, but not be held all the time. You did good!
She needs to know that it's not all about her and her wants. She sounds like she has quite a temper...
When you get her up in the morning, explain - in super simple terms - that it is going to be a very busy day and that sometimes you aren't going to be able to hold her exactly when she wants. But, that you still love her and that she will have to be patient. When you can, you will pick her up and hold her. (I would do this every single day when you get her up and again after nap time.)
Set the timer, even... Or before she gets wound up, tell her that after you do whatever, you will hold her but not until you are done.
I think consistency is the key with your sweet Meme.
Good luck, my dear friend!
xo
LBC
the sling sounds good
we deal with a lot of Burmese immigrants at my job and did you know that they keep their babies on their persons at ALL TIMES?
The sleep on their mother's backs in a sling, eat in a sling, etc
Not that I think you should go that far.
I think she just needs some extra snuggles.
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