Geez guys, my kid is adorable. Seriously, how can you not smile (I crack up) at that little face? He is such a fun baby.
But.But.But.
For the past two weeks, Si has started screaming his head off before going to sleep (for naps or bedtimes). He's tired, we know it, but he just won't calm down. A few times this week, he's screamed for over 2 hours before going to sleep-- no matter what we did to calm him.
Oh also? He's stopped sucking his fingers and refuses to take a pacifier.
So, we're at our wit's end. If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram, you may have seen that last night we reluctantly decided to let him just cry for awhile. Essentially, he cried it out last night.
One of the things that has surprised me in becoming a mom (even while being pregnant) is the amount of unsolicited advice I've gotten from other moms. Most of it is harmless and generally well-meaning, but I've gotten advice too, from moms who seem to think they know how to raise my child. And not surprisingly, I got plenty of advice from mamas last night with many different opinions. My head almost exploded and I think around 4am, the sarcasm that I attempt to suppress online came bubbling up.
Granted, bloggers open themselves up to all kinds of advice and criticism when they share so much of their lives on Twitter, Instagram and their blog. I get that.
But I think we all just could use more encouragement and less "You should try this" or "My kid does this". More high-fives, "Hang-in-there"s and "You-got-this, mama"s. Mommyhood is tough and feeling helpless when faced with a certain situation makes it even harder. A little encouragement and support from another woman, and I don't feel so alone.
Heck, not just mamas, but women in general could use more shared encouragement and support, am I right? Enough with the comparing, judging and side-eyeing. Let's have more hugs, cheering each other on, and sappy stuff like that.
The verse above is from Hebrews 3:13 and it's a reminder that I need daily. (The print is by Lindsay of Pen and Paint, who is extremely talented. Go check out her shop here.)
Six months ago, as I learned about hypno-birthing and home births, epidurals and inductions, I realized that it's not up to me to judge why someone makes their plans the way they do. Each parent, each family has different reasons for the things the do, the plans they make and the way they choose to raise their child. Who am I to judge that? You know your child and your life better than anyone else, so do what works for you, girl.
Ok, good pep talk. Now, I'll leave you with this video of Silas being cute. Have a great day, friends!
Before 'What Does the Puppy Say?' from Lindsay Wilkins on Vimeo.