Don't Shake the Baby

I have to repeat this to myself.  Not because there is any risk that I would in fact shake my son but because it has become a kind of mantra for me when he is getting just wee bit out of hand.  It is one of those sayings for when you are airing parenting grievances to your bestie and you end it with an exasperated "but really motherhood is awesome, just don't shake the baby".

My monster child at this moment is pant-crying.  It's not a real cry. It comes out in a rhythm like a pant. Short and loud for no reason at all.  He has been doing it every day, throughout the day for about 3 weeks now.  I have a hard time with the crying because for the first 8-9 months of his life he only really cried when he was tired, hungry, or upset.  You know the normals. Lately though we have ventured into the frustrated cries, the "where's mom oh no where did she go" cries and the bodily harm cries.  Oh and lets not forget the new favourite tantrum cry.  I don't know how, but my lovely husband can tune all of these cries out.  I however cannot and after about 4 hours of it I am about to lose my mind.  Thus, don't shake the baby.  I am trying not to pick him up or comfort him every time he cries since in 50 days I go back to work and I really do not want to subject some poor unsuspecting daycare worker to the array of cries.  Time to toughen up kid!

The monster is so mischievous, which I guess we should be glad about because I suppose it means he is smart?  I worry he is going to be one of those horrible destroyer kids.  You know the ones.  We have all experienced a destroyer child.  They are the ones that run around restaurants or scream in the grocery store and when they are on play dates they just destroy everything in their path.  Throwing toys, banging on everything, climbing cabinets etc.  The worry is real.  In the course of 10 minutes my child has escaped his living room barricade and climbed up the stairs, wiggled his way under his playpen and gotten stuck and used his push car walker as a step stool to get up on top of the coffee table.  On the upside he is smart enough to see the weak spots of the barricade to escape, to use toys as ladders and at 10 months old is walking about like a boss. 

A month ago I dreaded the thought of going back to work but at this point I am looking forward to someone else chasing after him while I escape to adult land for 8 hours a day. Until then Lord give me the patience to not shake my baby.

Busted!