I can make these babies happy. That thought occurred to me today after I gave up trying to get M to take a nap. Recently, every time I lay her down in the crib she turns over on her tummy and then starts to cry. The last nap of the day was not happening. She cried and cried. I kept going back in, turning her over on her back again, re-tucking the swaddle, positioning her bunny at her arm, hoping she might fall asleep and make the evening easier, and each time I’d leave she’d start to scream again. I was going insane. Finally I gave up.
I brought her to the living room couch. She looked so thankful, smiling through the tears streaking her pink cheeks. Tired, and with my mind still on trying to get her to fall asleep I decided to let her nurse. I positioned her comfortably in the crook of my arm, my elbow resting on a pillow, her whole body cushioned against me with the pillow behind her. She nursed a bit then looked up at me. I could see in her face she was in heaven. She couldn’t believe the amazing thing that was happening, how good life was. I wondered why I was making us both miserable with the nap.
A minute later Bean woke up. The moment was over, but it was striking. I can make these babies happy. Tickling their tummies, kissing cheeks, supporting them as they stand wide-eyed and proud, on my lap. That’s not a small thing. You can’t always make someone happy like that.
But now that I think about it, I guess it isn’t just babies we have the power to make happy. Adults are much more challenging, but it’s still a choice we have, right? I’m learning a lot from these babies.
Space Monkey Twins 
This is beautiful and empowering. It made me smile. And it made me happy. 🙂
And that makes me happy! 🙂
So sweet and so true. Right now I think I’m making my husband miserable, when I could be trying to make him feel better. He is in a rotten mood and kind of acting like a baby. Anyway, very sweet post. Made me smile.
Yeah, husbands are more challenging than babies for sure but why not. Thanks for commenting!
Oh don’t even get me going about husbands and their full moon pms cycles 🙂
But just wanted to comment about you having that special moment and bond with your baby, so sweet.
Embrace it while you can, they grow so quick and don’t want us anymore and the days of them wanting to be held will be over.
I’m not always easy to deal with myself so I wouldn’t judge. Also, I hope to keep getting good kiddo hugs for a long while to come!
A was fighting a nap today crying and crying so I finally wrapped her up, sat in the rocker and patted her bum. She was asleep within minutes, looking so peaceful. Sometimes all they need to be happy is you.
I just had trouble with a nap just now and tried the rocking chair, but she was too wound up. Or maybe I was too wound up. Anyway now they’re just playing and it’s getting toward bedtime so the window has passed. I will try it again next time, maybe with the bum patting. That’s a good idea. Naps are definitely getting more challenging these days! But anyway, yes to being happy.
I think they are going through one of those developmental leaps – one of the key signs is always less sleep
Yeah, that sounds about right!