Goodbye, Grumbus

This past Saturday, I helped host a baby shower for my adorable, very pregnant bestie Steff and her soon-to-be newborn Max. We had about six or seven ladies invited over to the house -- and I have to be honest, a part of me was nervous about hosting it at my house with EN here because, well... sometimes she can be so darn grumbly. And it worries me for her to do it in front of other people!


Sometimes, what we call the Grumbus likes to come out, and sometimes it can turn an entire afternoon or evening into a crying shame. EN's crying fits have always made me a nervous wreck, even when it's just me around. It's a fact that we mothers have a hormonal reaction to our babies' crying that makes us feel physically uncomfortable, almost sickly when we hear it -- not to mention that it's just so EAR-PIERCING and unceasing at times.

And sometimes it's not even the tumultuous crying fit that takes 30 minutes to tame that bothers me so much. Sometimes it's the little grumbling that she seems to do every 15 minutes or so. Pick her up and hold her for 15 minutes (grumble, grumble)... OK, you must want me to put you down (but not for more than 15 minutes...grumble, grumble)... Want to walk around and look out the windows? Sure! for 15 minutes -- then (grumble, grumble). Pick me up, no set me down, no pick me up and pat my butt, no set me down and swing me (grumble, grumble, grumble). And so on...

Do you know what I'm talking about? I'm going out on a limb here and assuming that you other moms know what I'm talking about. If you don't, then maybe I have a finicky baby and you have an extremely easy-going baby. I don't know why one baby would be one way or the other -- or maybe they are all this grumbly and finicky when they're tee-tiney and just nobody told me this.

That's the thing, right? I have never been around a newborn before EN, to even know what to compare her to. So to me, the grumbling and crying has been so frustrating at times because how in the heck are you supposed to know what's normal and what's "unusually fussy"? (a term that baby books and pediatricians love to use when they're telling you what signs to look out for if your baby might be sick). Well, I can't tell you how many times I've asked our pediatrician, "How fussy is 'unusually fussy'?" and she's just answered, "Oh, you'd know." Reminds me of when I was pregnant and waiting to find out what real contractions felt like: "Oh you'll know."


Well, I'm happy to say that EN was really well-behaved during the shower for all of my friends. (If you feel otherwise, said friends, feel free to comment on this blog post ;-) She grumbled a little when Randi and Amber tried to sit down while holding her (God forbid -- how could they not know that she prefers to be held STANDING UP?! psh!) And then she grumbled when I took her from Steff's arms because Steff was burning up from the combination of being very pregnant and holding a very warm swaddled baby named EN. (But how DARE I wake her up when she was sleeping soundly?!) So she grumbled about some small things, but she didn't have a throw-out tantrum, thank God.

Still, I couldn't help but ask Steff the next day when she stopped by for a visit: "Do you think my baby is too fussy?"

I can't explain the relief I felt when she (who has a three-year-old daughter) told me NOT AT ALL, that EN was just being a baby. "I'd tell you if I thought she was unusually fussy," Steff said. And if you know Steff, you know she would sure enough tell me! Ha ha.


Whew.

I know ya'll think I'm crazy. I may be the world's most freak-out, paranoid mother, but I'm just being real with you. My point is, I've just never wanted anyone to think, "My goodness, what on earth could be the matter with that little baby, to be so grumbly? Doesn't her mother know how to take care of her?" I honestly haven't heard any of my other mom friends complain about their babies being grumbly, so there I was keeping my mouth shut, wondering if something was wrong with baby girl -- or me, for not knowing how to make her more comfortable. I just want my baby to be happy and well.


Thank God I finally sucked it up and asked Steff for another mom's opinion. 


And let me tell you something else that's pretty remarkable.


Since the night that I asked Steff that very question and got an answer that put my fears at ease, guess who's been the happiest baby on the block? Well, maybe that's an exaggeration, but truthfully -- EN has been a much different baby this week -- less finicky and less fussy throughout the day by far. I don't know if it was an answer to a prayer or just good timing. I mean, it sort of feels like she just matured overnight and decided to be a little more good-natured and a little more gentle with her mama's feelings. When people say that babies seem to grow overnight, I really think that could be said of their little personalities and emotions as well. Crazy how you have these moments with your baby when things finally click and you come to an understanding with each other. And when those moments happen, you realize how long you've been waiting for them to come around! I've always loved my baby girl to pieces... but I am really loving me some less-grumbly Evie lately! Now I just have to get her to not be a Grumbus for her Dad, ha ha!

I know EN will read this one day, and I just want to say to you, baby girl: You are a GOOD BABY. By no means do I think my itsy girl is a bad baby for being grumbly. I think you are just a girl after your mama's own heart -- you know what you like, and you know what you don't like! You might just be a little better than me at voicing it from the get-go :-)

Just to show you how happy my little camper has been this week, check out these pictures of the easy-going, happiest Evie on the block. Sweet child... I finally captured her smile!