Saturday, January 22, 2011

All Good Things Must Come To an End

Did you know that for the first three months of their lives, babies do not comprehend cause-and-effect? In other words, you can spoil the hell out of them – respond to their every coo, cry, and whimper – without fear of establishing bad habits. Put them to bed early, late, whenever – tomorrow is a clean slate. Linda and I are hanging onto this notion like grim death, and why not? It's like in the movie Groundhog Day - yesterday never happened so there are no consequences! (Too early for flapjacks?) The problem is we are nearing the end of our free ride, and as all proud parents do, we assume our child is brilliant, so she’ll probably catch onto this cause-and-effect thing much earlier than the average kid, right? Oh God, maybe she already has, and she’s playing us for a couple of chumps.

63 days old

4 comments:

  1. Ah yes...but do not fear! Our wonderful pediatrician, who told us these very words, also described 4-9 months is the "always happy" stage! And it was true for Hope, Georgia, AND Henry! You have more honeymoon time, indeed! A.

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  2. Never fear, agreed!

    At two months old, Carter would, amazingly, sleep 10-11 hours straight through the night. On the night he turned 3 months old, he started waking again through the night as if to say, "Now that I am older and much more cognizant, I'll be sure that we visit more frequently."

    It is a growth point for sure!

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  3. Amy Lv - Wow - I've never heard of the "always happy" stage! I like the sound of that. Is there a "always respectful" stage, too?


    Amy BG - 10-11 hours?!? I am so jealous, and I'll be even more jealous at about 2:30 this morning.

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  4. The "always respectful" stage comes with your insistence! A.
    ps - Have fun at 2:30am!

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