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Sunday, April 03, 2011

My favorite stage

Another old Parentdish article I found while looking for the one on having four kids by accident.  In this one, the blogger confesses that while she loves her own kids, she doesn't much like babies.  She reasones that it has to do with issues of control. 
She says, "I think it may have something to do with my need to control things. If there's one thing you can't control, it's a baby. When they say the only things you can be sure of in life are death and taxes, they should add that you can also be 100 percent sure that you can't make a baby do anything. Not nap. Not sleep through the night. Not eat baby food. NOT if they don't want to.

In fact, I found my babies were likely to do the opposite of whatever I wanted them to do. I didn't want my son to have a pacifier, so he was obsessed with it. I wanted my daughter to take a passie once in a while, so of course she always spit it out. Is it me? Do I send out baby radar that says "Don't trust me. Whatever I say, don't do it?"

I freely admitt I have my own issues with control, but I am the exact opposite.  I sometimes wonder if most people who want large famililies have the same affliction I do-babylove.  I adore babies.  Can't get enough of them.  My husband too.  Personally, I'm most at ease in this phase of parenting. I feel completely confident with a baby.  No doubts that I'm doing it wrong or could have done better.  As they get older a lot more doubt creeps in and can make you question your sanity.  But for me, babies are pure bliss.  Sure there's all the sleep deprivation and stuff......but it's outweighed by far with the adorableness and love.  Little baby dimples.  Newborn gestures.  Milky smiles.  The oh so soft skin.  The way a newborn's body is still all curled up.  The possibilities.  Just sheer joy.  Breastfed diapers don't even smell that bad til they start eating solids!
Don't get me wrong-each phase seems to have it's own challenges and rewards.  But so far there is no phase that I don't like-it's just that the baby stage is my favorite. 
Then again, I've yet to experience parenting a teenager, so I may eventually have to change that last sentence!

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