Oh. Wow.
Why didn't anyone stop me? Where was the motherly advice slash warning?
I took a 2 1/2 yr old and a 2 1/2 month old on a five day travel nightmare. WHY?!
Because it was Christmas. Because some family had yet to meet Ava. Because there was food someone else prepared. Because it was supposed to relax me for others to look after my children!
So much for that.
Instead, my oldest had meltdown after meltdown. Her grandparents bought a new two-story, beautiful home. Did Bella care? No. It was NOT the same house she's known all her life. Grandma's hobby room was gone. The sunroom...gone. All the knooks and cranies Bella had become accustomed to were gone. Why was everyone so dang excited about this new building she knew nothing about??
Then her cousin. Dear sweet Dillon now WALKS and nobody asked Bella's permission! Because he walks, he can swipe toys from her just as easily as she can swipe from him. No fair!
And my precious Ava.
If no one sees me in public for the next three months, it is because of her.
I apparently cursed myself by labeling Ava early on as my laid-back, gentle soul. Naw. She was just gearing up for Christmas! She is just as sensitive to over-stimulation as Bella was, but more VOCAL. For five days.
And since we did not have enough fun with that, we decided to squeeze in day six of Christmas last night. I had to eat in the kitchen with the children because Ava wouldn't stop yelling. One of my husband's lovely aunts drove over an hour just to see our little angel. I do not expect she'll be driving an hour anymore for the same.
If one more person tells me to give Ava cereal to shut her up, I will scream silently.
OH! And add nearly five days of no pooping on Ava's hit-list. You can add the "s" if you like. So we had that going for us...which is nice.
I'm tired, cranky and stinky. So I'm going to put my children down for a nap, leap into the shower and back out, then enjoy the silence. Or just read your blog.
7 comments:
Oh Jenn! I do feel your pain. Many, many years ago when we just had two children, we attempted and miserably failed at the same thing.
We have vowed (and stuck to it religiously)since then (7 years now) THAT WE WILL, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES, SPEND CHRISTMAS ANYWHERE BUT AT OUR HOME! We even went so far as saying that anyone is welcome at our house on Christmas day, but we won't even leave the house (or our pajamas)!
Sure, we have pissed off many a family member...but I tell you what, our children are happy to stay at home and play with their toys and the pressure is off of us to go anywhere or have our children "perform" to other people's standards.
I'm rambling. Maybe I will write a blog about this exact thing.
Oh Jenn... you poor dear! My Baby J is the same way with over stimulation, I try to protect her from it but it is not always easy or possible! A few weeks ago when the in-laws were staying with us which was too much already, we went and added spending the night at the SIL and it took a week for her to return to normal. It is so hard to remember, I try to, but the hubby forgets (I constantly have to remind him) that they are just little people and the world is a big scary place! LOL
Oh and the cereal thing... you- me- right there! I had relative and friend after the other telling me to give her cereal at a few weeks on ("It isn't good for her you know NOT to have it!" or my personal favorite "that way you are not nursing so much"- like it is a BAD thing) I finally got the point where I started pulling out the medical lingo and studies on them- it was like the second I had a baby every forgot the thought: "hey prior to this she worked as a Pediatric Dietician, I bet she has a clue on this!" LMAO
BTW- I forgot to add, you do what you are comfy with! I personally waited 5 motnhs (out of stubborness mostly because it gave me a sick pleasure to see the look on my mothers and step-mothers face to their "are you feeding that kid yet? She needs food!") but also because she just was not ready really. Physically she was able but she didn't want it! She was perfectly content with her milks and I was perfectly content with that, some Mom's aren't but agian it is your kid. I like to say, "hum? I am glad that worked with your kid but we are trying this new thing they say is better!" They usually give you a dirty look like you are the anti-christ but it is fun to see it! LOL
God, I need therapy- I must really have issues with this subject- it annoyed me to no end. LMAO
ha! T-girl, you make me laugh. Tallulah, you make me jealous! No way in Hades could we NOT go gallavanting around Texas for the inlaws and outlaws.
I didn't start Bella on solids till five months either and it is TOTALLY like you describe, T-girl. People think you are starving your child with "just breastmilk". Please. Food at before age 1 is all about learning anyway, not nutrition!~ Pediatric Dietician? Wow. Let me gather some questions for ya!
Oh man, this is why I don't want another baby - I hate infancy! Aren't I terrible?
At least it'll be a story you can tell NEXT year when Ava is an angel...right?
Yeah, I was afraid to have another baby just because of the infancy! But it flies by. She's already 3 months on the 2nd! In another couple of months she'll chill out as she becomes mobile. All she can do now is prop n' spew.
This will make you feel better--Spouse and I didn't drive 15 miles to see my family on Christmas night b/c we were too tired and didn't feel like it. How's that for shunning a family obligation?
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