Elinor is twelve years old and she is wonderful. She is a voracious reader. She loves doing her computer programming class. She has delightful friends. She excels at piano. She loves to bake. She is kind, smart, thoughtful, patient, a daydreamer. She is a joy to me and all who know her.
But there was a time when she wasn't so happy. And neither was I.
You wouldn't know it from this doll-like picture of her at seven months, but she was not a happy baby. Please don't think ill of me, but I don't look back fondly on her first year. There was a lot of crying on both our parts. I refer to that time period as my "dark time". No matter what I did, I couldn't make her happy and it wasn't until she was past a year and much more independent that she chilled out. And chill out she did! She developed into a very mild mannered toddler and preschooler and her elementary years have been very happy.
And that very thought is giving me a great deal of hope right now. I'm struggling with my little Peter. I can't seem to figure him out. He is very similar to Elinor as a baby, only harder because he doesn't sleep. He doesn't sleep through the night and only for snippets during the day. He'll have a good couple of days, and I'll think we've turned a corner and then WHAM! It's something new that is bugging him. He is tense and determined and has a very strong will. Great personality traits in the long run-- difficult baby traits!
So while parenting a baby is ever more challenging as I'm older and busier, I am grateful to now have the advantage of a bit more experience. I am telling myself not to worry-- this time will pass and there are brighter days ahead with my Sweet Pete.
1 comment:
I feel for you!! All of my kids were terrible sleepers, literally not sleeping more than 3 hours consecutively for the first year and a half. I was a walking zombie for 11 years. ;) Which is one of the reasons we are done having kids. Peter is too cute though!!
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