MY BOGGY BLOG: find your way through the murk

Baby for a Night

It's been a long time since I was a momma to
babies, with my own "baby" being almost 9 now. He still likes to curl
up on my lap, a great snuggler, but he's all stretched out now with
these long legs and arms. Sigh! But from Saturday to Sunday, I got to
be "momma" to a baby all over again, and oh, it was sweet, but oh, so
tiring!

The sleep over girls had just left at 11 am and my sister and BIL
showed up with their youngest, Baby L, who is 5 1/2 months old. They
were going to an out-of-town wedding, and I was watching the baby
while Grandma and Grandpa took the almost 3 yr old and almost 5 yr
old. So I got Baby L. from 1 pm Saturday until 1 pm Sunday, and DH had
to be out for the evening on Sat., so there was no relief pitcher
until 11:30 pm! It did help that my 12 yr olds were able to help-- DD
helped play with Baby, hold her and feed her, and DS made lots of
goofy faces. I made them both at least watch me change diapers so that
if they ever babysit they will have a clue.

And oh, Baby was so sweet! Gurgling and cooing and smiling and making
"talking" noises. She is still little enough that she can only roll on
the carpet with some effort, and can't sit up yet, and loved to be
held. We rocked and she ate and played... and I remembered all those
wonderful-comfy-adorable baby moments I'd been through years ago.
During the afternoon, I even started thinking, "I'm only on the verge
of 39. I could still have a baby. I could have all this baby sweetness
again..."

And then came the screaming. From 12:45 AM to 1:30-- piercing wails,
body taut, unresponsive to any method of comfort. I was already pretty
tired from lack of sleep the previous night, and DH and I tried all
the walking and bottle and pacifier and soothing talk, etc., and
finally I went down to rock her and watch TV, and she took the bottle
and fell asleep. Whew! And then I started to remember how much work a
baby is and how Very Nice it is to have bigger kids! Yay, Big Kids!

I did love having a baby for the night... and maybe I'll borrow Baby
L. again some night and give her parents a break. Being an Auntie is
wonderful! I get all the love and bonding and sweetness, and then the
next night I can give Baby back and get some real sleep!

Posted by sapphire at September 21, 2003 12:00 AM