Saturday, August 2, 2008

meet the family.

When my baby gets overwhelmed she shuts down. She doesn't cry, or squirm. She turns her head away and buries it in my shoulder. She scratches the back of my arm with one hand and digs into my chest with the other.

To anyone who doesn't know her it looks like a loving snuggle. It's not.

It is her saying, "Mommy, I am afraid. I can not even begin to process what is going on here."

So when I know better than you family members people tell me not to worry "She'll cry" if she is upset. "I'll take her, she looks so calm." I want to clock them one.

Because they are scaring her. They are in her face and she does not have the fight part of 'fight or flight'.

This is a baby that will sit in her poo, hungry, tired with her leg pinched in her car seat and not complain.

Much.

It takes a lot. When I say a lot I mean A LOT to really get to her.

So what these overbearing Aunts people are missing as they cackle in her face and pat her head and grab her hands and generally pester her to meet their own needs...

...is my baby. My sweet, funny, friendly, screechy little girl. Who has SO much personality.

If you just leave her the heck alone.

3 comments:

Heather said...

I hated that when Giggles was a baby. People were so sure she was okay and they wanted to hug and kiss her, forget the fact that she doesn't even know you. Finally we had to put a stop to it. I had to explain quite bluntly why. If you want to know more email me. Because I don't want to put an epic novel in your comments. Big hugs to you and Riley.

Megan said...

Poor sweet baby girl. I would say let me hold her, but um, that probably makes me part of the problem. I am not helping.

Anonymous said...

I guess I know how the bat mitzpha went...was it my favorite aunt?

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