From Fussy to "Happy"...Things Are Looking Up

As I have written here within the past few months, I have a high needs child who is slighlty over 1 year old. We have had our joys and our trials, but oftentimes, I found myself asking myself if the decisions we were making to meet his needs were right. Were we making any difference in his character, personality and his overall well being? And I would ask myself if we would know....if there would be little indications along the way. Our Benjamin has gone from a full-time fussy/colicky baby to an overall, happy, well adjusted toddler. He still fusses to express himself occassionally, but I am no longer pulling my hair out wondering if he was ever going to stop crying. He has. In fact, today at the grocery store, while he sat looking around in his favorite spot-the seat of the grocery cart, an elderly lady was admiring him and she commented how happy he is. "That is good", she said. I felt very encouraged, because although he is still very attached to his daddy and me, at least now I can go to the bathroom with the door shut and he won't scream his head off thinking I have abandoned him. Don't laugh, but I actually used to have to HOLD him on my lap while I used the potty! (Because he would scream if I set him down, even next to me in the powder room) Talk about a balancing act! He has grown out of that need now, thank God! And that is also an answer to all the critics who said that by holding the baby when he cried I would spoil him and he would wind up being overly dependant.

One day a couple of weeks ago at a playgroup, he, along with all of the kids were playing in the play room while the adults were taking care of some Moms Club business in the next room. Benjamin just took off crawling into the crowd of toys and tots and did not even look back at me for reassurance. One minute, two minutes, five, then almost 10 minutes went by before he looked around for me. He was having such a good time with the other kids. I was thrilled and I wanted to cry all at the same time.

My baby is growing up. Can you imagine the emotional wreck I'll be in at his high school graduation?! Perhaps this is just the preparation...
Pass the tissue.

:)