Fatherly Dominance

2 nights in a row now, sweet baby maddox has slept through the night. Ever since Maddox and us got simultaneously sick a few months ago, sweet baby Maddox hasn't made it all the way through the night with out winding up in our bed. He would wake up every hour to an hour and a half unless he was sleeping with us. With us, all was bliss. But in his bed, apparently he could smell the lonliness.


So he would cry and cough and do whatever it took to make sure we knew he was awake. He is so intune with the "happenings" that he would wait for you to come get him, stop crying only when you picked him up, and then he would pull the ole "wait and see" approach before he would start crying again. You see, there are 2 paths to take when you pull him out of bed in the middle of the night. Path #1 is walking with him down the hallway to mom and dad's bed. Path number #2 is walking in the opposite direction toward the rocking chair that we use to get him back to sleep, and ultimately back in his own bed. Path #1 is bliss, path #2 is hysteria.


And, when you are low on sleep and trying to catch up, with work looming in the distance and meetings and chores, path #1 is definitely the path of least resistance. Path #2, as Maddox well knows, gets greeted with a baby pandamonium. And then, if you can weather the storm, you're good for only another hour to an hour and half. Not hardly a king's ransom if you ask Nicole or me, and Max knows it. The funny thing, and a credit to Max, is he waits to see which you choose before he chooses how he's going to react. He at least will give you the benefit of the doubt. Just don't choose poorly.


But, Nicole and I both know that it's better for Maddox to be independent, so this past weekend we hardened our resolve a little and I committed. Now, for the doubters that woud have put money on Maddox to win, let me be the first to say, I would have had money on Maddox too. But then again, I am 31, and I am his father, and this is where my reign of dominance begins. From here on, at least until Max turns 30, he's going to wind up with the short end of the stick. I think it's good for this trash talk to be down in print now, so that when he does learn to read (Point: Dad - I can read), but when he learns, he will know this was the beginning of it all.


Here's what it took:

1. Having the pacifier somewhere in his crib, so that when you wake up at night, you don't have to waste the time trying to find it. He acts fast and I think he holds grudges. Also, time = tears.
2. Sleep in the clothes you are going to rock him back to sleep in. His room is cold for someone just in a pair of boxers, and it leaves the lingering doubt in your mind that you would be much warmer in bed.
3. Always wear a long sleeve shirt. Once asleep, when you lay him back on his mattress, sliding your arm out from behind his head is very, very tricky. Having the shirt on allows your arm to slide out easier. A lot of hard work has been wasted by hap-hazardly pulling your arm out. The easy slide approach that long sleeve shirts provide is beneficial to both parties.
4. Me not wanting to get beat by a sleepy, crying 7 month old. Who lets that happen, seriously? I may be easy going, but I'm not a complete push-over... yet.

Other quick hit news: Max is eating solid baby foods now. His poop smell would bear witness to that. He's rolling over and arching his back way too much now. He talks still... not words but noises. Even plays games with me... offering me his pacifier and then pulling it away when I grab for it and laughing.

Likes: Mom. Dad. Nana. Papa. JJ alot. Bananas. Apples. Monkey puppet from Aunt Judy. All people of color. Older women. Biting. Eye glasses... to pull off and slam in your face. High pitched noises and hanging chords. All Balls.

Dislikes: Vegatables. Noisey crowds. Hunger. Being in the sleep position without being asleep. Not sleeping in mom and dad's bed. When his head hits the floor. Not being held.