1. Changing routines is asking for trouble.
I am starting to discover why more experienced parents like firm bedtimes and firm house rules: They're so easy to break when they're flexible.
In 8 months, we conditioned our baby to love bath time. She would talk happily, splash, play with toys, even try to chew on nearby chrome faucets (because they're shiny, but of course).
Whoever thought that simply moving bath time to a boring bathtub in a new container would be such a traumatic experience.
I wonder if the real lesson is "Once you have changed something, stick with it." If so, I've failed.
2. Kids get bored fast.
It would be very convenient if she was entertained endlessly in a toy that confines her to one chair or one part of the house.
Alas, she demands (verbally, loudly, constantly) that she have endless variety with new discoveries as often as possible.
But, this also keeps us moving as well, so perhaps we're getting more healthy along with our baby daughter by traveling around the house instead of sitting still near the TV.
3. Kids want you to do things faster than you're doing them.
Patience is for adults.
If our daughter sees the food we are about to serve her just out of reach, this is unacceptable.
If we aren't getting the spoon into her mouth by the time she opens her mouth again after swallowing the previous bit, this is unacceptable.
If you are not removing her from the crib to start her day up her waking up and crying, this is very, very unacceptable.
4. Kids get upset if they don't think they're being heard or understood
I think that most everyone can relate to this, but kids are just easier to overlook sometimes because they are still learning how to express their feelings... and they're shorter.
In the case of babies, not recognizing the right crying noise will result in more frantic crying: "Wah" does not mean put me in another toy, "wah" means change my diaper!
5. Kids value being around people more than being around toys.
One of the happiest parts of my day - and my daughter's day too it appears - is when we see each other for the first time after being apart during the work day.
She'll smile, she'll kick her feet excitedly, she'll crawl in my direction as fast as she can.
While she's starting to become more independent as she gets older, her happiest, most talkative and most energetic times are when she has a live audience.
Perhaps I'm not learning about kids. Perhaps I'm just learning about people.
--Althea Peterson
Trimesterly tribute: Final edition of "trimesterly," so let me just run down all of the stereotypes and debunk them: You will not have an enormous belly for nine months like the TV and cartoon characters do. Strangers will not ask to touch your belly. You won't necessarily have morning sickness or any time of sickness. You will gain weight and your appetite will change, but if you're careful, you won't gain more than you can lose in a year or so.
Baby bit: My husband lamented that while our daughter was making "ma" noises, she had yet to start "da" noises. So what do I do while he's gone on business for a week? Say as many words as I can with "da" noises or that start with the letter "D." Lo and behold, by the time he returned, she was suddenly using "da" in her random baby vocabulary.
Mommy moment: If you see a random baby that you don't know the gender of, don't assume it's a boy. All babies have short or no hair. I usually won't correct people, but just overly emphasize how girlie my baby is. Yes, SHE is adorable. Yes, we love HER.
Random thing my baby tried to stick in her mouth: Pet fur. Why, baby?! After taking away a few globs of it (it's been warm out for December, so the dogs have shed a lot), I finally pulled out the vacuum.
Althea's previous entries:
Nov. 26: What NOT to get for kids this ChristmasNov. 19: Sick or tired parents usually follow a sick kidNov. 12: Christmas wishlist: Gifts for parents that we've used every dayNov. 5: What type of person our child will grow up to be?Oct. 29: Things parents are NOT allowed to doOct. 22: Little parent-child time makes big differenceOct. 15: Choosing a daycare center for your childOct. 8: Baby blood drawing, catheter, congestion, antibiotics...Oct. 1: Beginnning to feed solid foods to a babySept. 24: Baby's first long car tripSept. 17: Photos: A newborn baby in her new homeSept. 10: Motherhood misconceptions and baby mythsSept. 3: When a baby can't sleep and won't stop crying (possibly due to her first cold)Aug. 27: Baby's appetite changes can make breastfeeding more difficultAug. 20: Mom's hospital stay after the baby arrivesAug. 13: Returning to work after maternity leaveAug. 6: Life as a single, working mother with a babyJuly 30: Dealing with a baby's first sick timeJuly 23: Delivering a baby by Cesarean sectionJuly 16: Introducing a new baby to your pet cat and dogsJuly 9: Breastfeeding a baby is a challenging decisionJuly 2: Baby airport travel requires patience and timeJune 28: Baby means there's never an awkward silence
Althea Peterson is the proud mother of a eight-month old girl. Althea returned to work at the Tulsa World in May after two months of maternity leave. Baby advice, baby questions or baby words of encouragement can be sent to althea.peterson@tulsaworld.com. Also, follow Althea on Twitter at twitter.com/a1a4ou.
