"Viva la resistance" and "Just where do you think you're going, lady?"
Okay, back to Isaac. We have two new problems with our little guy as he becomes self-aware:
1) He no longer cares to sit still for a diaper change. He used to just lay on his back and look around contentedly, even up until Thursday or so. He knew the routine. What happens on the changing table is not a surprise. And yet now he flatly refuses to stay on his back when on the changing table, and prefers to wriggle onto his side or deftly onto his stomach and try to figure out how to climb off the table or swing from the nearby window-blinds. All the while, here's me: "NO, Isaac...Will you sit still?...What is so wrong with laying on your back for Mom?...Come HERE...Get that out of your mouth...Wait, let go of those blinds." Whenever I pick him up to replace him in his back-lying position, he starts fussing at me and arches his head back, which propels his body onto his side. I am trying to become more of an expert on diapering my baby when he's on all fours, but this is extremely time-consuming and requires great manual dexterity. I have surprised myself at how patient I can be with Isaac, but when he pulls his "viva la resistance" maneuvers at the changing table, both he and I reach baby-meltdown in record time. Is there any hope for us?
2) Isaac has begun sprouting some separation anxiety. We figured it out this weekend when I would leave the room, with him in the very capable hands of Dad, and Isaac would start screaming bloody murder and continue doing so until I returned. This morning when I dropped him off at day care, we did our usual goodbye routine, which consists of me running over to him wherever he is, smothering him with kisses without picking him up, telling him 1) I love him, 2) I hope he has a good day, and 3) that I'll see him later -- today this resulted in complete Isaac panic as soon as I started for the door. I turned around, ready to go sweep him up in my arms because I didn't know any better, but his teacher had already done so and was loudly saying "Bye, Mom!" with emphatic waving (as in, get out of here, we've handled this kind of thing before). Anyway, it was heart-breaking. I hope he gets over it soon.
1) He no longer cares to sit still for a diaper change. He used to just lay on his back and look around contentedly, even up until Thursday or so. He knew the routine. What happens on the changing table is not a surprise. And yet now he flatly refuses to stay on his back when on the changing table, and prefers to wriggle onto his side or deftly onto his stomach and try to figure out how to climb off the table or swing from the nearby window-blinds. All the while, here's me: "NO, Isaac...Will you sit still?...What is so wrong with laying on your back for Mom?...Come HERE...Get that out of your mouth...Wait, let go of those blinds." Whenever I pick him up to replace him in his back-lying position, he starts fussing at me and arches his head back, which propels his body onto his side. I am trying to become more of an expert on diapering my baby when he's on all fours, but this is extremely time-consuming and requires great manual dexterity. I have surprised myself at how patient I can be with Isaac, but when he pulls his "viva la resistance" maneuvers at the changing table, both he and I reach baby-meltdown in record time. Is there any hope for us?
2) Isaac has begun sprouting some separation anxiety. We figured it out this weekend when I would leave the room, with him in the very capable hands of Dad, and Isaac would start screaming bloody murder and continue doing so until I returned. This morning when I dropped him off at day care, we did our usual goodbye routine, which consists of me running over to him wherever he is, smothering him with kisses without picking him up, telling him 1) I love him, 2) I hope he has a good day, and 3) that I'll see him later -- today this resulted in complete Isaac panic as soon as I started for the door. I turned around, ready to go sweep him up in my arms because I didn't know any better, but his teacher had already done so and was loudly saying "Bye, Mom!" with emphatic waving (as in, get out of here, we've handled this kind of thing before). Anyway, it was heart-breaking. I hope he gets over it soon.
posted by Claire at 8:32 PM
2 Comments:
Oh my gosh...that's so uncanny! We're having the same issues with Madeline these last couple of weeks. Changing her has become a nightmare - to the point where Daddy can't even handle her anymore!! And she's definitely starting to show her attachment to me on a more regular basis. It's definitely heartbreaking watching them cry like that.
monkeygirl
I'd like to take this moment to thank Mrs. O'Neal for voting, correctly, for the puppet picture on Dana's blog. Thus, giving me the victory I so richly deserved. It certainly helped wash away some of the post-election letdown I was suffering from.
I would also like to reiterate how impressive it is that you and Mr. O'Neal are able to handle the Ph.D./child raising combo platter. The both of you are superheroes of the highest order and should be commended as such.
That jumping off the table swinging from the window-blinds stuff? That's just the Mike talking. I'm guessing there's more where that came from.
Stay strong my nizzles,
Evan "The Elegance" Clossin
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