Aiya…very tired. I pulled an all-nighter yesterday with a crying baby.
I don’t remember this happening with baby #1, but I think that’s part of our evolutionary makeup–our minds trick us into “remembering” how easy it was so that we have more, more, more without fear. Even now, I can’t believe how I’ve forgotten how to raise a newborn. It’s the complete opposite of riding a bike–you never forget how to ride a bike, and you never remember how to raise an infant child.
(If you’re a prospective or new parent reading this, no worries; it’s all good because the babies get really cute when they recognize you and start talking to you. But the early years are definitely no picnic.)
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But here is an...
I agree with everything you said. About #1…I think...
I was old enough to remember my observations when my youngest sister was a newborn. When she cried, my father read to her from Milton’s Paradise Lost. Milton has always helped put her to sleep, when she was 3 weeks old, 3 months, 3 years, 13, and even now at 23. One mention of classical literature and poof, out like a light, snoring.
Of course I had no idea it was Milton until many years later when I was reading it for one of those high school AP classes. My father saw the book in my room and said, “Oh, Milton, you and your sisters all read that book in its entirety when you were babies.”
I don’t recommend reading Milton to your child. I recall having no clue what my father was warbling about when he read, because for a child still grasping English and Chinese, hearing Milton read aloud was like, whoa, is that pig-Latin?
Milton? Wow. Your dad must be a renaissance man! Is he first gen? Impressive.
They actually sell these CDs that talk and sing in different languages. It’s supposed to help them learn to acclimate to different sounds in different languages. So far my children have heard the Chinese and French version, which they borrowed from the library. I’m looking for Spanish, but it’s always out.
Last night was Night #2. Not quite an all-nighter, but pretty darn close. My daughter actually sleeps okay when she’s cradled against her mom or me, but just about all the medical establishment says that babies should be sleeping in a bassinet or crib.
Does anyone have any advice?
I’m the oldest. My youngest brother and I are nearly 20 years apart so I remember clearly when he was born. And I remember when my other brother who was born and when my sister was born. All different situations, but the main link factor to all was lack of sleep and middle-of-the-night “waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah” factor.
Hope you soon get plenty of rest!