A lady who happens to be an acquaintance came by in early-Feb to meet me and see the new baby.
I was still struggling hard with the sleep-deprivation, and on that topic spoke to her.
She has a 5+ year old, and she seemed to understand. And I told her that it must be so good to see her daughter grown and out of these issues. It must be nice to be able to sleep a whole night.
She told me one thing - 'There are new challenges to every milestone the child hits'. They are simple words, but they immediately struck a chord with me. And even though sleep remains the issue, I know that tomorrow sleep might stop being the thing, and new issues would start emerging. Looking at things as greener in the future, was undermining my current stance over this problem.
The baby turning over, crawling, grasping at things, putting stuff in the mouth, learning to stand, and walk and run, and there would be new things to deal with. So I might think her position is so awesome as compared to mine, she also has worries that I don't have right now.
And oh, this lady is a fellow infertility survivor. And she described between smiles, she said that once her daughter arrived, the first two years were spent on-toes by the parents!
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The second piece came from a newsletter I subscribe to.
Well, the newsletter said that when I picked clothes for the baby I must remember that I will have to button every button, and zip every zip on the dress.
And that is so true.
I completely prefer tops that are front open and buttoned that way, rather than ones that have to be slipped around Figlia's neck.
Dressing her while she is crying becomes a bigger challenge if the dress needs to slip down her neck.
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Happy Fourth Blogoversary to Me!
Wow! Happy Blogoversary!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, it's most definitely true. There are challenges and hurdles at every stage of a child's development. I like to think that it's as much a chance for the parent(s) to grow as it is for the child. Yes, it's can be very hard at times, but it's a process for sure.
Bigger children, bigger problems. Sadly it's true. And you can't fix it for them as easily as you could when they were babies.
ReplyDeleteDressing is going to get more interesting every month. As does everything else. :-)
Happy Blogoversary!
One of the best parenting advice I had given to me was quite similar to your friends. They told us everything is a phase. If you are having a hard time with a stage, just remeber that it will pass.
ReplyDeleteHappy Blogoversary!
At my baby shower, my friend told me - whatever happens, it will pass after three days. And all the moms agreed with her. Sp... just hang on!
DeleteIt's so easy to look ahead and think that things will be better when... Each phase has it's joys and challenges.
ReplyDeleteAnd as for clothes... I totally agree. I haven't chosen much of Ginny's wardrobe as it has been mostly gifts or hand-me-downs, but there are certain things I know I will not buy for others any more, because they are frustrating (like sleepers with snaps instead of zippers).
Very merry blogoversary!!!
Hey - it's my blogoversary today, too! :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats!
And oh-so-true on both counts... I mean, just wait until they become teenagers and give you sleepless night again ;)
And all I put on Timothy are buttoned sleepers. All those cute t-shirts? Never even tried them on (I didn't buy them either... they're hand-me-downs).
Its going to sound crazy but she will either sleep or you will get used to being tired, develop new minimum thresholds for the amount of sleep required to function (if I get 4 hours straight I'm like a rockstar, but, less than that and it goes downhill).
ReplyDeleteSomethings get easier(they don't eat all the time, they sleep for longer) and somethings get harder (my monkeys are MONKEYs they climb every little thing - but apparently not all kids are like that, some even wait until a year or more to walk instead of doing it at 9 months!).
Try to nap when ever you can.
Happy Blogoversary!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Nadine...mostly. She will sleep and you will get used to being tired.
Regarding the clothing...just enjoy this time where you get to pick out what you like. Eventually (say, age 3ish?), they stop taking your advice about what to wear!
Happy blogoversary :-)
ReplyDeleteI have a fantastic photo my husband did for me of my son sitting propped up in a chair aged about 6 months with a thought bubble which says " my parents are looking way too relaxed I wonder what phase I should go through next"
There's never a dull moment in parenting.
very true, each milestone IS met with new challenges, but they are usually pretty fun :)
ReplyDeleteHAPPY HAPPY BLOGOVERSARY!
ReplyDeleteHappy blogoversary!
ReplyDeleteAnd so true about each milestone having it's own challenges and worries.
Happy Blogoversary!
ReplyDeleteSimilar to the advice you received, I received some advice early on that I always think of: "Everything is a phase." The good and the bad. The sleeplessness is a phase, but so is the period when mine were sleeping 15 hours a night. Wanting to be held nonstop is a phase, as is not wanting to be held at all. So with the good things I enjoy them while I can, and the not as good things I take heart that before I know it, things will change.
Happy Blogoversary!
ReplyDeleteYour friend is so right. There are new challenges to every milestone. BUT, the lack of sleep does suck. A lot.
Much love to you.
Four years, brilliant!
ReplyDeleteI can so relate to what you write about here - I think about this too all the time.
So true on the clothes thing! Probably the other too but the clothes I remember from my days as an NICU nurse. I hated stuff that went over the neck and loved onsies that snapped up the front. Buttons not so much. Now when I go to weigh a baby that has 3 layers on I want to scream knowing it all has to come off only to go right back on again.
ReplyDeleteThe grass is always greener, isn't it? Of course, the other side has it's own weeds and such.
ReplyDeleteRegarding clothes--I have seen more than one father just refuse to button the buttons, so the kids have loose and floppy clothes.