Over the Baby Hill
Posted
July 14, 2008 at
9:50 pm by
Maureen
My son is almost a year old, which means that things have finally gotten a bit easier. He sleeps twelve hours at night, is entertainable in public, diaper blow-outs are few-and-far-between and reaches for me while smiling and babbling, “Ma ma ma ma ma ma.”
So.
I was a little irritated to realize all of the things he’s not “supposed” to do once he turns a year old–use a bottle, play in the jumperoo, drink formula.
Apparently, once a kid turns one, they enter early-Toddlerville and it’s time for Big Boy stuff like walking, finger food and sippy cups. Before we know it, we’ll be blowing the fuck past those milestones and it’ll be time to mark the liquor bottles and set the parental controls on the porn channel.
While I don’t object to any of these things and realize they’re just part of growing up, it’s hard to realize that we’re going to be jerked out of our complacency and back into “I have no idea what the hell to do” mode. Just when I was SO enjoying the feeling of having this Mothering shit down. (Although my son challenged that feeling yesterday when he managed to gnaw paint off our walls while I was in the bathroom. I’d like to thank my family and Jesus for the Mother-of-the-Year Award.)
I guess my parenting lesson learned for the day is: When it comes to parenting, it’s best not to get too comfortable. Treat child-rearing in same manner as snake-charming–always be alert, ready to react and never underestimate your opponent.
Tags: bottles, formula, milestones, Parenting, parents, sippy-cups, toddlers, turning-one, year-old |
5 Responses to “Over the Baby Hill”
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1. Jennifer Knox
July 14, 2008 @ 11:13 pm
My son just had his 9-month checkup today and I got the same list of “changes” we should be ready for. Just when I was getting comfy. And 12 hours sleep? Do tell…how are you accomplishing that one? At 4-months mine was sleeping 11 hours and now he’s down to 8 or 9 if I’m lucky!
The doctor also said we should be giving him “table food” or pieces of whatever we are eating for dinner. I somehow don’t think a bowl of Captain Crunch for dinner is proper dinner food, so now I have to actually cook meals? Crap….
2. SHS
July 15, 2008 @ 1:55 pm
Word to that!!!!
Hey, you are still in the easy years. I loved toddler hood, pre-school, kindergarten…after that it starts getting really hard. So have fun now.
3. Maureen
July 15, 2008 @ 7:47 pm
I have no idea how we’re accomplishing the 12 hours of sleep…it might have something to do with the fact that he hates naps with the fire of a thousand suns.
No kidding on the table food! As I type this, I’m eating a bowl of Golden Grahams for dinner. I have visions of slaving over a hot stove, whipping up pomme frite for my son while my husband stirs his ramen noodles in the microwave.
4. Rita
July 16, 2008 @ 7:10 pm
Yes, that’s what it is. Then with the second kid, you’re lulled into a false sense of expertise, having done it all before, because the second kid is nothing like the first. It’s just an adventure at every turn!
5. Kelly_Belle
August 15, 2008 @ 11:50 pm
Everyone I have ever known with a child (previous to me having one) always talked about when their child slept through the night or the 12 hour stretch, as some like to call it. It scared me. Terrified me even. When I got pregnant all I could think about was the lack of sleep…I like sleeping!!!
Picture this…my daughter (the wonderful and talented 2 year old), my mother and I packed up a car and headed off to Washington DC from Tampa Florida for my sisters baby shower when my daughter was 4 WEEKS OLD!!!! Crazy, yes. Stupid, even more so. It took us 3 long days to get there. When we got to DC we went to dinner, came home and I put the baby down…so tired. 12 hours later she woke up! I thought for sure this would never happen again. It’s been well over 2 years now and minus the severe night terrors she had for 2 months she has slept through the night ever since for 12 hours. I’m still terrified…but now it’s because I think someday I will wake up and realize I am still in DC and she has only been asleep for 3 hours and now she is crying…