It happened again last night. I was pumping my usual before-bed pumping to prevent getting too uncomfortable overnight, and Patrick woke up in the middle of the pumping. He was clearly hungry. Obviously feeding him the normal way wouldn't work since I had just emptied my boobs, so I prepared a bottle for him. He absolutely refused to take it, screaming every time we tried to feed him, and quieting down but staring at my boobs any time we stopped trying. He was hungry but would only consider eating one way, and it wasn't with a bottle.
If you remember, he used to eat a bottle every day. Even when we stopped needing to feed him a vitamin bottle daily, he would still take a bottle when it was necessary, like when grandmas watched him or if we needed to feed him in the car. Now he acts like we're trying to poison him with that bottle. I don't understand it. It feels like he's regressing in the area of eating; babies are supposed to graduate to a bottle, not graduate from the bottle to the breast.
I think the most irritating part of all of this, though, is that I am now bound to Patrick. I can't escape for a day without him around because I know he won't eat any milk while I'm gone. That whole idea of leaving Patrick with Matt for an extended period of time so I could get out of the house alone is gone. I like being around Patrick, but sometimes I just need alone time. Now I can't get it, not for longer than a couple of hours. Are the next three or four months until he weans going to be like this, with me unable to leave Patrick's side so he won't starve? I'm sure I'm overreacting, but the whole situation frustrates me. I expected Patrick to progress in the whole area of eating, and now I find out that instead he's moving backwards. And no, I'm not giving up trying a bottle, but I don't have a lot of hope that I'll find something to trick him into taking a bottle again.
On the other hand, he is definitely progressing in other areas. Yesterday I forced more tummy time on him and attempted to ignore the hysterical screams. I was glad I did because it turns out he is this close (imagine me holding up my thumb and forefinger really close together) to creeping. He can move his arms and kick his legs in unison so that he squirms around. In the fifteen minutes he was on his belly, he managed to pull himself almost all the way around in a circle. That's the funny part; his right arm and left leg have the strength and unison thing down better than the other side, so he pulls himself much better to the right. That means he can squirm for hours and only pull himself in a clockwise circle. He's definitely getting to real creeping, though. I'm guessing a few more good tummy times and he'll be mobile. I wonder if when he discovers he can move himself if he'll stop screaming every second he's on his belly. I can just imagine Patrick crawling all over the house in another month or so, screaming the whole way. What fun that would be!
I have too many cute pictures to share today. Sorry for the onslaught. Here's one of my favorite pictures from him playing in his ExerSaucer yesterday. It looks like he needs a haircut already, doesn't it? By the way, if you enlarge the picture by clicking on it, you should be able to clearly see both of his teeth.
Yup, he still has those tonsils! I love this picture. It's just too funny.
This is another of Patrick's favorite toys right now, his teething wing. It's somewhat ironic how much he used to shun these teething toys, and now he's obsessed with them. He can get really lost in playing with this toy and forget anything else going on. He did try to "share" the teething wing with me earlier today by sticking it up next to my mouth. How sweet is he to think of sharing his favorite toy with Mommy already?
I mentioned Patrick's growing fascination with his hair several days ago. Here he is scratching his head or pulling his hair or whatever he's doing while Daddy goes in for a boop on the nose.
If you remember, he used to eat a bottle every day. Even when we stopped needing to feed him a vitamin bottle daily, he would still take a bottle when it was necessary, like when grandmas watched him or if we needed to feed him in the car. Now he acts like we're trying to poison him with that bottle. I don't understand it. It feels like he's regressing in the area of eating; babies are supposed to graduate to a bottle, not graduate from the bottle to the breast.
I think the most irritating part of all of this, though, is that I am now bound to Patrick. I can't escape for a day without him around because I know he won't eat any milk while I'm gone. That whole idea of leaving Patrick with Matt for an extended period of time so I could get out of the house alone is gone. I like being around Patrick, but sometimes I just need alone time. Now I can't get it, not for longer than a couple of hours. Are the next three or four months until he weans going to be like this, with me unable to leave Patrick's side so he won't starve? I'm sure I'm overreacting, but the whole situation frustrates me. I expected Patrick to progress in the whole area of eating, and now I find out that instead he's moving backwards. And no, I'm not giving up trying a bottle, but I don't have a lot of hope that I'll find something to trick him into taking a bottle again.
On the other hand, he is definitely progressing in other areas. Yesterday I forced more tummy time on him and attempted to ignore the hysterical screams. I was glad I did because it turns out he is this close (imagine me holding up my thumb and forefinger really close together) to creeping. He can move his arms and kick his legs in unison so that he squirms around. In the fifteen minutes he was on his belly, he managed to pull himself almost all the way around in a circle. That's the funny part; his right arm and left leg have the strength and unison thing down better than the other side, so he pulls himself much better to the right. That means he can squirm for hours and only pull himself in a clockwise circle. He's definitely getting to real creeping, though. I'm guessing a few more good tummy times and he'll be mobile. I wonder if when he discovers he can move himself if he'll stop screaming every second he's on his belly. I can just imagine Patrick crawling all over the house in another month or so, screaming the whole way. What fun that would be!
I have too many cute pictures to share today. Sorry for the onslaught. Here's one of my favorite pictures from him playing in his ExerSaucer yesterday. It looks like he needs a haircut already, doesn't it? By the way, if you enlarge the picture by clicking on it, you should be able to clearly see both of his teeth.
Yup, he still has those tonsils! I love this picture. It's just too funny.
This is another of Patrick's favorite toys right now, his teething wing. It's somewhat ironic how much he used to shun these teething toys, and now he's obsessed with them. He can get really lost in playing with this toy and forget anything else going on. He did try to "share" the teething wing with me earlier today by sticking it up next to my mouth. How sweet is he to think of sharing his favorite toy with Mommy already?
I mentioned Patrick's growing fascination with his hair several days ago. Here he is scratching his head or pulling his hair or whatever he's doing while Daddy goes in for a boop on the nose. 
And I love, love, love this picture. Look at how they gaze at each other! It makes my heart ache in a good way every time I see this. I'm so lucky to have both of them.
By the way, happy birthday Mom. You're what...29 again? I hope you have a great birthday. You still look pretty close to that 29 anyway!
Labels: Daddy, Feeding, Feelings, Frustration, Fun Stories, Photos
4 Comments:
Oh sorry to hear about the bottle/breast problem you are having Kathy.. I wonder if he is wanting the breast because he see's you and your there? Maybe if you left for awhile and you were not in view he might take from the bottle if he was hungry? I'm just throwing ideas out there.. I was unable to breastfeed Randie so I really don't know much about it.
You can see his teeth GREAT in that picture.. how cute!
It wont be long until he is spinning himself around like a top!! lol
The pictures are too cute and I also love the one of him and daddy!!
bottle issues are so frustrating I am sure. hope he decides to take one again soon...
Happy Birthday Sue, didn't know you were turning 29!!
Thank you for the birthday greetings! 29 years old feels pretty good -- just like every other year. Thanks to you, too, Tricia and Melanie.
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