Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Abandonment Issues

Remember this post about trying to get Emerson to say "Mama" and totally failing???

Well, with Jon gone, we are having the total opposite problem in our house. I have an irrational justifiable fear that she is experiencing baby abandonment issues. And here's why:

When I leave the room, girlfriend goes NUTS.

If she's with her babysitter, she's fine. If I'm not there when she wakes up, she's fine. But if I have the audacity to leave her, even for a moment, she will cry and sing a chorus of "Mamamamamamamamamama" and strike a dagger into my heart. And then when I return she clings to me as if I'm going to leave her forever. Don't get me wrong, I will take any baby cuddle any time, but it's still heartbreaking. She has never been a clingy baby, just happy and snuggly, and I really think Jon's absence is affecting her.

In fact, this morning I heard her stirring and went upstairs to get her. Normally she's content to play in her crib til kingdom come/until I pick her up, but today she wakes up, stands up, and immediately starts whimpering "Mamamamamamama" Tears. "Mamamamamamamama." I pick her up. She lays her head on my chest as the whimpers quiet down.

Ugh, it kills me.

Jon will be home next Friday, and it can't come soon enough. The FaceTime thing is just not cutting it. I write about this here because I don't want to tell him (and Lord knows he doesn't read my blog - good thing, he'd probably be mortified), because I know he'd feel bad.

So, because it's what I do, I'll go ahead and look on the sunny side.... at least she's saying mama???

 


4 comments:

  1. That's what I was going to say: "At least she's saying mama!" Small victories :) And right now, you're the favorite parent - score! Let the countdown to next Friday begin (though you probably started on day 1 ;))!

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  2. Yes she's saying Mama!!! Cup half full. I know its hard, Boomer never really had issues like that...until now. And she is SIX?!?!? Ugh, I feel your pain. I'm sure once she's back to her normal routine she will be ok!

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  3. I think every baby goes through this at some point. Oren had horrible seperation anxiety around 13/14 months old and she's just a tad younger than that so it could be the age. I'm sure Jon's absence only helped kick it in to high gear. But, now that Ori's 19 months he's MUCH better and the seperation anxiety is far more manageable. Just remember everything is a phase and this too shall pass. Soak up the snuggles while you can get them though, haha.

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    1. I know, the snuggly part is something I don't want to give up, just the idea that she's sad because she's missing her daddy. But yes, hopefully it's just a phase that will be alleviated by Jon coming home. It breaks my heart!

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