sympathy monster

I have a baby who doesn't snuggle.  I enviously look at my friend's pictures of their snugly babes, and wonder what secret they know that I don't know.  Bee never falls asleep on my shoulder, or snuggles in for a hug, or does anything that even resembles tender loving feelings.  Except for ONE time.  She had bonked her forehead on the TV stand while dancing (she really gets into it sometimes), and instantly was in a heap of tears.  

Now, I'm a staunch supporter of encouraging kids to "toughen up" and to soothe themselves when crying over little things (and no, I'm not heartless).  But this time I could see the red line on her forehead and I felt her pain.  Heads hurt more, and I wasn't going to let a prime "cuddle time" go to waste.  I swooped her up and was the perfect picture of motherly love.  I shushed, gave her kisses, rocked her, and handled her with all the gentleness and kindness of  Mother Theresa.  She let me cuddle her for about 30 seconds and then started pulling away, almost like she wanted me to see her face so I could see just how upset she was.  Eventually, I distracted her with a treat and she happily crawled away with it grasped firmly in her fist.  

I now believe, that day, I created a monster.  A sympathy monster to be exact.  She now crys over anything and everything.  And if I'm sitting on the ground with her, she immediately crawls over, sobbing, and drops her head into my lap.  Then lifts her scrunched up face and keeps on crying, to make sure I know how hurt her feelings are.

 And if she can't reach me, she'll sit there, giving me the same scrunched up face.  And she sounds so pitiful.  Most of the time, I want to swoop her up, cuddle her and give her whatever she wants.  So far, I've been good at standing my ground.  But I firmly believe that she knows how much it hurts my heart to see her cry, and she's waiting for my breaking point.  Any "no Bee, don't play with your dirty diaper", or "no Bee!  Don't hit the TV!"  or "No Bee, leave Mama's glasses alone" end up with that same tear-stained, scrunched up face.  Sigh.

Who knows, maybe she'll be a cuddly toddler?  HAHA yeah right!  

And by the way, she now has a second tooth, and has walked a few more steps on her own!  YAY!