NB: Sleep
Before River was born I read a lot of books about babies. I rather smugly thought that I would be very clever and wonderful with River. Breastfeeding would go easily. We would put her into a strict routine from the beginning so that sleep would never be an issue. I didn't think at all about nappies or weaning or what to do about prams. I didn'
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I was never left to cry either, but that's just because mum gave up on breastfeeding me very early on and switched me over to formula, which was harder to digest so my stomach stayed full for longer so I slept better. Better for mum, I suppose. But I wonder now how many of the little niggly problems I have -- like being massively over sensitive to caffeine, alcohol, sugar, anti-oxidants, hormones, etc -- might be attributable to that. But that's a post for another day.
Mum told me that River was "manipulative and smug" when she was around 6 months old. That's because River was grumbling and complaining on mum's knee and, when I picked her up, she smiled. I was apparently making a rod for my own back. What I seem to have made is a little girl who is very affectionate and who knows how to ask clearly and politely when she wants attention or affection ("daddy kiss River on nose", "booby please", "mummy play on floor", and so on).
Honestly, I despair sometimes. Children aren't capable of real manipulation for years. It implies intent, and a proper understanding of the effect they're having on other people. Most of what they're doing really is just experimenting to see what happens next. I read somewhere that babies have needs and children have wants, and you should always try to meet the needs but wants are negotiable. Makes sense to me.
I like the photo too, but River's ghost arm is a bit freaky...
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