Settling down



For almost 10 weeks, it was tough-going: any time Kara wasn't being held by someone — asleep or awake — she started crying almost instantly. As the weeks went by, she became capable of lying on any of her change mats for long enough to have her diaper changed. Otherwise, she would cry until she was picked up again and soothed. This resulted in an elaborate routine between Matt and I of spelling one another off to do our various required tasks for the day.

When Matt returned to work just after Kara turned 3 weeks of age, simple things like having to go pee became a choice between accomplishing a minor — if necessary — task or having the baby have her emotional needs met. I just had to learn to resign myself to the fact that Kara was going to cry inconsolably for several periods during the day so that I could find time to brush my teeth, eat, use the washroom and wash my hands. Obviously, this wasn't an easy choice for a first-time mom to make.

I'm pleased to say now, however, that as of last Friday, Kara has taken to being able to sit in her bouncy chair, her swinging chair, or lie in her crib for long enough to be able to let me do these menial tasks. As of yesterday afternoon, Kara has even been capable of staying asleep in her crib! Yesterday, Kara took a two-hour nap in her crib and awoke calmly. She's currently on her second crib-nap for the day. For now, I've chosen to reinforce the positive attitude she's taken to being on her own by picking her up again just as she begins to fuss, rather than waiting for her to get upset. Still, this is obviously a drastic improvement when compared to her level of independence until now and I can't help but do a little victory dance (or type blog entries) when I put her in her crib.

While I still consider Kara a fussy baby, this recent change in her disposition will no doubt result in a drastic change to our lives around the house, I'm pleased to say. Also, for as much of a frustrating experience as figuring one another out can be, there's no denying that — with each change we share towards her growth — this is the most rewarding experience I've ever undertaken.