In the beginning I envisioned myself rocking and nursing Eli in this chair until the fabric was worn from all the time spent in it. When he was itty bitty I did get some quality chair time with him but that was a long time ago. Eli is a lot of things but being a “cuddler” is not one of them. His mind and body are just too active for it. I have long since given up on trying to get him to let me rock him in the chair.
As you’ll recall Eli is now able to pull up on things. I thought the day with the exersaucer was just a one time thing but I was wrong. He is constantly pulling himself up on anything and everything now. On Sunday while I was cleaning Milan was playing with Eli. When I walked in the room Eli was standing up at the entrance of the closet. Milan was close by but not close enough to catch Eli when he heard my voice and quickly turned to see me. Eli fell face first into the closet door. We felt terrible about it. I mean terrible! The guilt was indescribable. Milan wishes he would have been closer and I wish I would have known better than to walk in the room and have Eli turn his attention on me. There was an immediate bump and bruise. He screamed louder than we have ever heard him scream. Of course we tried cuddling him and comforting him. Normally when upset he will kick and squirm but this time he just melted into Milan’s arms. He let Milan rock him in the chair!!! He even let Milan put ice on it. Secretly I was jealous and wanted to be the one doing all the comforting but at the same time I was just thankful Eli was accepting it. Plus there is always something so warm when Daddies step in and show affection to their baby.
I know there are lots of Moms and babies out there who have a nap routine that consists of the baby nursing and then being rocked to sleep for naptime. I so badly wanted to be that Mom. All the books warn against it because babies get used to it and can’t fall asleep on their own. I would give anything to get Eli to let me help him settle to sleep. I don’t care what the long term results would be.
Sunday night after the big fall Eli nursed himself to sleep. He hasn’t fallen asleep while eating in months! Long gone were the milk comas. I just assumed he was tired from the trauma and it was just a one time thing. Then it happened again on Monday and Tuesday night. Then this morning he wanted to nurse at naptime even though he had ate only an hour earlier. We were in his room in his chair nursing to sleep! Oh my gosh he is finally letting me comfort him to sleep! It had to be a fluke. I almost didn’t want to tell Milan for fear I would jinx myself and it wouldn’t happen again.
This afternoon when naptime rolled around I placed Eli in his crib like usual and left the room so he could settle and fall asleep. He started crying and when I clicked on the monitor I see him standing in the crib holding the railing and shaking it back and forth like a prisoner behind jail bars. So I go up there pick him up and sit in the chair. Guess what he does… he nurses and falls asleep!
After 10 minutes of rocking him while he slept I gently placed him in his crib and he stayed asleep. It was precious and I am floating.
1 comment:
Never a dull moment with Eli, he will keep you on your toes!
Uncle Mike
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