September 15, 2011

The three-month "switch"

Peyton is three months old today.

Three months.

I won't lie. I have been blessed with a high-maintenance baby. People say every baby is different, has his or her own personality. My baby is full of personality. She is the boss lady. I affectionately refer to her as the "diva baby" because she knows what she wants, when she wants it.

Diapers can't be even a tiny bit dirty or wet or all hell breaks loose. Car seat? Stroller? Bouncy seat? Foooorget about it. People are STUNNED when I tell them Peyton screams and cries bloody murder in the car and doesn't fall asleep immediately like Baby A, Baby B, and Baby C did. Binkies, pacis, whatever you call them? Nope, not welcome here. How DARE I think I can sit down while I'm holding her. Think again, mom; you better be moving if you're holding me, and by "moving" I mean walking around the house at a brisk pace since I can't get around by myself. We also don't like to be held like a baby. Now that she has stellar neck control, she needs to be sitting up on your lap AT ALL TIMES. If you tilt her back even slightly she will wiggle and struggle and fuss until you make her upright again. You know, so she can eavesdrop on your conversation. If a sock falls off her teeny little foot, you will hear about it, damnit, because the boss hates one cold foot and one toasty foot (I don't blame her on this one).

We all know baby socks are a joke anyway, but that's another story.

Denny makes me laugh because he can't fathom how she could still cry if she's fed, changed, clean, burped, etc., etc., etc. But she still cries.

I think we're heading in the right direction with the non-dairy issue; her skin has already cleared up considerably and she is much happier during and after feedings. But still, she cries. Denny is baffled by all this. I try to explain that babies cry, it's what they do. Our baby just happens to do it a lot.

I just say she's high maintenance. There is nothing wrong with that. There are plenty of grown women who are high maintenance. I know she won't be this way forever.

I've been hearing it since she was born: "Oh, just wait until she's three months. She'll be like a whole new baby."

Well, she's three months today.

For the first time since she was born, I took her food shopping with me today. I figured I had to get over the irrational fear that she would have a public meltdown, and today was the day. I knew the car seat was totally out of the question since she thinks it's a torture device meant for tiny people (Straps! Clips! Buckle! NOOOOOO!), so I strapped her into her little Chicco carrier and off we went (do you see a trend here? I love that damn carrier). It was glorious. It took me three hours, but only because I had to dodge all the sweet old ladies.

I didn't expect a magical switch to flip on to "24/7 happy baby" at 7:36 this evening. I'm just fine with the way she is now. The smiles and happy gurgles I get from her are worth a million dollars. Some days they're rare, and that's why they're so precious.

Do I want a whole new baby? No thank you. If she does calm her little baby self down in the next few weeks, great. If not...who cares? I'll deal just fine, like I have for the last three months (Denny would agree to disagree, though).

She is so loved, no matter what.

Am I jealous of other moms who have happy babies that rarely fuss and never make a peep?

Nope.

Because I got this:

Happy 1/4 birthday, you beautiful thing.

Tomorrow I am continuing my transformation into super-homemaker and making my first attempt at freezer meals. The thought of doing all my cooking for a month in one day is so appealing, but we all know I'm a terror in the kitchen. So in order to keep myself from going into shock at the sheer undertaking of such a feat, I'm spreading out my cooking over two days instead.

I'll keep everyone posted on how it goes. If you don't hear from me in 48 hours, check the cabinet under the kitchen sink. You might find me in the fetal position there.

PS: Did anyone see that show, Up All Night, on NBC tonight? Not that impressed. Christina Applegate, YOU CAN DO BETTER!

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