Don’t let the smiley Nate in this picture fool you…it has been A DAY.
And it’s only noon.
Once in a while, on days like this, Nate gets caught up in a vicious cycle. He’s grumpy and a little hungry and bit tired.
But, because he’s grumpy, he doesn’t WANT to eat anything I suggest. So, he does things like throw the bowl of yogurt onto the ground.
Which upsets him. And, on days like this, he gets so upset, he starts to cry. And scream. And throw more things.
When I kindly suggest, that a crying, screaming one-year-old who’s late for his nap might be tired, and I try to rock him, he loses it.
He hits me and throws books on the floor and cries so hard that his little eyes turn red and his nose runs and he sweats and looks miserable.
On days like this, the runny nose and sweaty back upset him so much that he REALLY starts crying. Like hyperventilating crying.
And then I start crying too, because REALLY? It’s now been three hours of this and we both desperately need a break and a snack.
But, on days like this, I’m not eating anything but clear liquids (so, nothing) in preparation for my colonoscopy. So, there are no snacks and no nap because on days like this, Nate is still screaming and still hitting. And NOTHING will soothe him.
And before I know it, Nate is screaming in his crib, and I’m lying on the floor next to it in an attempt to make him feel secure that I’m nearby, but snuggly enough in his bed that he might embrace the sleep he so desperately needs.
On days like this, when Nate and I are both at the end of our ropes, and I’m in the fetal position on his floor, I look up to see our housekeeper there, consoling me in her sweet Spanish.
Clearly a day like this transcends any language barrier.
And we talk in Spanglish about how hard fussy babies can be.
She tries to pick him up. But on a day like this, Nate screams and hits her as if she’s trying to kidnap him and he needs to fight her off with his little fists.
So, she hands him to me.
On a day like this, he forgets that he hates me, and he leans his head against my shoulder.
And we both sleep in the rocking chair.
