The Joy of the Lord is my Strength

Well, school is in full swing and I am enjoying running the roads all by my lonesome.

The Bug is excited about school and talks non-stop from the moment my car pulls up to the curb to pick her up until I unload them both at home.  She has told me both days that she saw Tootsie "two times" and Tootsie was "MAD"!  Hmmmm

When I picked them up today, though, the Assistant Director comes up to me and tells me that Tootsie is such a joy.  If all of the kids were like her, things would run so smoothly.  She eats all of her lunch; she plays.  Most of the kids are adjusting, but Tootsie is just happy all day and acts like its "no big deal."

Huh????

Okay, yeah, Tootsie is definitely the more laid back one.  She is, in general, more friendly and less cranky. 

I guess I was surprised because she hasn't always been that way. 

See, when we brought Tootsie home from the hospital, the first month, she was an angel.  She didn't cry.  I had to wake her to nurse.  I thought, "Wow, this is a piece of cake!"  We ran errands, we went to the library.  We took naps.  Life was grand.

Then, the second month began.  And Tootsie unleashed her terror.  On Becoming Babywise (a book I HIGHLY recommend to any new mom) tells you that your baby should be on this schedule: 

feeding time, awake time, nap time, feeding time, awake time, nap time, etc.

Well, this was Tootsie's schedule after the first month:

feeding time, awake time, nap time (for 30 minutes), scream bloody murder for 30 minutes, nap time, etc.

I'm telling you, I didn't know what to do with that kid.  No more errands. No more library.  No more naps.  No more leaving the house, pretty much.  Because we didn't want to subject anyone else to this.  There was just no stopping her when she got started.  We tried the colic medicine from the doctor, gas drops, bouncing, swaddling, herbs, praying, casting out demons....you name it. 

Then, as an added benefit, she threw in some howling while she nursed.  Suck, scream, suck, scream, suck scream.  After a few days or weeks of that (who knows?), my nerves were so shot, my milk would not let down.  That really helped the whole situation.

When she was about 6 or 7 months old, this gradually went away.  And she grew into a much more pleasant baby. 

So why do I still think of her as that baby who, for about 5 months, threatened to send me to the looney bin?

Why is it so hard to focus on the positive?

Why is the negative always at the front of my mind?

Except for that 5 months, Tootsie really has been a great baby.  She is happy.  She sleeps all night since we sleep-trained her at 6 months (again -- On Becoming Babywise).  She plays by herself.  She eats what I feed her.  I've never had to get her out of the church nursery for crying.  She is friendly, but not too friendly.

I've got nothing to complain about. 

I saw a quote on my friend's facebook the other day that said, "Raising a kid is part joy and part guerrilla warfare, but I wouldn't trade it for the world." 

I can definitely relate to that. 

I just need to figure out how to be victorious in battle while letting JOY be my BANNER.