This might be our last baby. We haven't decided for sure yet. So I'm trying, once again, to enjoy the babyhood of my baby.
But, to be honest, babies stress me out.
In fact, I think I start to de-stress with the kids when they hit about 3--so they're potty trained, talking, walking, mostly teethed, etc. They tell you what they want, they can feed themselves and dress themselves.
When my babies cry, I freak out. Even from the second they start crying. Even when I know that what they want is to eat or have a diaper change or just be held. The sound of my baby crying always freezes me for a split second. I always feel this desperation and dread seeping in when I hear that crying and sometimes it takes all I have inside to do anything about it.
I was never one to want to hold new babies, mine or other people's. I just don't really enjoy holding babies.
I really am trying to enjoy this very brief period of time, I am. But even my trying to enjoy it is adding an element of stress. When he cries, and I think, "oh no, not again," my next thought always is, "I need to just enjoy this. Why can't I just enjoy this?"
So that brings me back to the idea that I am simply not a baby person. Babies are cute. I like to look at them. But I really don't enjoy this phase. I really start enjoying my kids once they hit about three years old. I will keep trying to enjoy this, though, because I know how quickly it passes.
And really, isn't this just the cutest baby ever?
3 comments:
Jenna, he is absolutely gorgeous! (Although not as cute as my baby. I have to maintain my mother standards! lol!)
I think it is so interesting how we all have different stages that we enjoy or hate.
I love babies. My babies have always been very peaceful, good eaters, sleep well, etc. I find the period between 0-12 months a very blissful one.
But I don't like the toddler stage. THAT stresses me out. And I'm finding that there are so many challenges that stress me out as my kids get older, that the simpleness of meeting my baby's needs makes me very nostalgic for my babies. I would have a 100 babies if I could--if only I didn't have to raise them or be pregnant 100 times.
Just take what you can and don't feel guilty about what you don't love. You are a fabulous mother on so many levels.
I learned a very profound lesson about babies crying when I was a teenager. I was watching my little niece and she was just howling. I had fed her, changed her diaper and was holding her. I asked my mom if some babies just like to cry and she said yes.
So for me, I don't stress about crying, unless I know something is wrong, then I worry.
To be fair, my babies have never had colic, which I know is completely different.
So far none of my babies have had true colic, and this one seems to be the same. But mine are always just fussy for no apparent reason. They don't really cry, they just fuss, and I am just not a patient, calm person so that's why I think I find it hard to just hold them when they only need to be held.
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