Spoiled Babies???

A little background...
I'm a member of Babyfit.com, an online community for pregnant women (many who continue to be members after their babies arrive). The group there that I'd been most active in during my pregnancy was the group for moms all due in July of 07. I haven't been there much since Lily-Ann arrived, I simply don't have much time for things online - regardless of the topic. And believe me, if I were to make time for something, it's usually something about Lily or the dogs. However, I still have my preferences set to send me notices when something new is posted.
This brings us up to speed.

Today I received an email notice about a new topic that had been posted entitled "SPOLIED BABY!!!" (their spelling error, not mine). I was curious, and had a moment or two still since Damon was downstairs watching a sleeping Lily. Clicking on the link I discovered that one of the moms wanted to know how many other July moms let their babies "CIO" (read as cry it out). All I could think was "Wow! Really?". We're talking about three month old babies.

This mom considers her new infant son to be spoiled. She scolds her husband for picking their baby up when he cries. Somehow, she figures he's misbehaving if he cries because he needs attention and affection. I'm just beyond flabbergasted that someone could honestly believe that a baby who cries out for attention is spoiled or bad.

You can read the whole thread at: http://babyfit.sparkpeople.com/team_messageboard_thread.asp?imBoard=20&imparent=496258

When I tried politely to point out that you cannot spoil such a young baby this was her reply, "When you hold a baby all the time and pick the baby up everytime they cry they respond to it."

Ummm... well... Yeah. Of course they respond when you pick them up. They respond to love. They respond to being held. You have responded to their request, their need for affection. How anyone can see that as a negative I simply am at a loss to understand.

She also states that "I make sure he is clean, not hungry or upset."

Perhaps it's just me, but a baby that is crying and being left to "cry it out" is obviously upset and in distress. How can someone not see that a child, who wants nothing more than to be held and comforted, is upset when you turn away from them and ignore their very fundamental needs and desires?

As my husband responded "how can you spoil a baby with affection?"

Wow. Just wow.

I hope she (or at least someone else reading her post) takes the time to look into Attachment Parenting, or to do a bit of looking into the work of Doctor and Martha Sears. It could do her, and more importantly her baby, a world of good.

The Obligitory Bathtub Pictures

Every baby must have bath time pictures. So... without further ado... here are Lily-Ann's obligitory Bath tub pictures. Taken October 29th.

TEETHING!!!

Lily-Ann is teething, and has been for a couple of weeks now. Poor girls gums hurt something fierce at times... others she just sucks on her bottom lip or chews on her thumb. There are times though when you just want to tear your heart out because you can't do anything to make her pain go away. We carry her, we rock her, we walk with her, we bounce her, we rub her gums with all sorts of things (fingers, cloths, teethers, soothers, blankets, etc)... but sometimes, no amount of soothing will help - and those are the worst times to be a parent. :( My poor little squishy strawberry.

On a happier note. I'm taking Lily-Ann swimming for the first time tomorrow. A couple other new moms will be bringing their wee ones along too. So we'll see how that goes. The water is going to be a lot colder than anything she's been exposed to so far, but I'm crossing my fingers that she'll love it. If so, it may be time to sign up for a mom & tot swim class. :D

Little Squeeks

So I don't ever forget, I figured I should blog it...
When Lily-Ann and I were still in the hospital she made the cutest noises when breast feeding. She sounded like a little mouse, she squeeked when she gulped. Her gulps sounded more and more like large swallows as the days passed, and sounded like any others by the time she was 10 days old. Those first few precious days were pretty cool though. I've never heard a noise quite like it, even my rats don't squeek quite so sweetly. :)

Lily-Ann is Three Months Old (pictures)

Okay... It's been a while since my last post. I've been busy. What can I say. LOL Being a mom pretty much takes up all of my time these days. Lily-Ann was 3 months old yesterday, which honestly just blows my mind. She's doubled in size (weight wise) since coming home. She's so big, and so clever. She babbles, and coo's, and laughs. She can almost sit up on her own, and she loves dancing. I'm just constantly amazed by her.

Sooo.... here's a slide show of Lily at 12 weeks.