Who says what?

Novelist, mother, minister, and yoga teacher muses on books, babies, motherhood, and what matters with reverent humor.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Isn't it Neurotic?

Today it involved putting the baby to her nap and allowing her to cuddle her favorite sweater. A sweater with a large hood. And a zipper. As I've never left her with anything in the crib before (she is almost 13 months old), I feared the worst. Somehow she would manage to roll around in the crib in such a way that the over sized hood would strangle her. I turned up the baby monitor REALLY loud, listening intently for her breathing. You can guess the rest.

She's fine.

But then I am the woman who checks on her children after a night out to make sure that the babysitter has not somehow dispensed of them. (For what? I don't know. I don't do these things. I just worry about them. Maybe some illegal baby ring?)

But then these utterly helpless, perfect beings have been--impossibly--placed in my care. I certainly don't want them to think--or pay good money to a therapist as an adult in order to rehash this neglect--they got mere medioctrity when it comes to mother-worry. No, this is one area in which I do excel.

Everyone needs to be good at something.

2 comments:

  1. I tried swaddling Peanut in my shirt that I wore all day to help her sleep a few times but it didn't seem to help her stay asleep. She hates her crib. I HAVE FAILED! :-) Being a parent is the funniest game of trial and error.

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  2. As a friend once said to me, "babies aren't supposed to sleep...."
    Ha.
    You're a success because you care.
    That's cheesy, but it's true.

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