I find myself more relaxed with baby number two.
Some things are more difficult – balancing the needs of a baby and a toddler and not being able to nap during the day to name two – but generally, I’m more relaxed this time around.
I’m not paranoid about dropping Mitchell like I was with Ashleigh. I’m more comfortable holding him. When he cries, I don’t panic; I just work through the probable causes until we find the solution. I don’t spend quite as much time (over-)analysing his every sound and movement. I just enjoy them.
But some things haven’t changed. Including my ability to hear him crying any time – ALL the time – even when he isn’t.
On a scale of ‘obvious’ to ‘how on earth can you mistake that sound for your baby?!’, here is a list of just some of the noises that have convinced me my youngest child is crying:
– another baby crying (visitors, radio, television)
– a toddler tantrum
– an animal outside whining
– the squeal of tram brakes
– the siren of an ambulance
– the screech of power tools (handy when you’re renovating!)
– the exhaust fan in the bathroom (if you’re looking to save water by cutting down your shower time, have a baby – it’s much more effective than an egg timer)
– laughter
– total and complete silence
So, pretty much any noise will have me holding the sound monitor to my ear, hovering outside his door, or, occasionally, barging straight in and waking up my poor little boy.
And silence? How did that make the list?
Sometimes I wake at night and am convinced I can hear him. I strain my ears, and in my head I resemble the BFG, swivelling and flattening his giant ears like satellite dishes to improve his already impressive hearing ability.
Source |
The worst part is that once I’ve done this, even if I can’t hear anything, I’m wide awake.
And it’s difficult to get back to sleep with satellite dishes for ears.
Do/Did you mistake other sounds for the cries of your child(ren)?
ann says
The kids over the back from us sound like my 2!! It drives me nuts!!
Emily says
Uh-oh!
Sophie Allen says
It still happens to me, and I don’t even have a baby anymore! I guess if he really wants attention he will keep crying, or better yet, might just resettle himself if not ready to be awake anyway. #teamIBOT
Emily says
There’s a point – I still do it with Ashleigh and she’s three! I’ll no doubt still be doing it when they move out of home.
Jackie K says
I absolutely always did, and now my kids are older I mistake every child crying, or every child at the park yelling “Muuuuum!” for mine.
Jackie K says
This often reminds me of how penguins can supposedly distinguish their own baby’s cry from the thousands of others in the colony. Do you think that’s a myth or are they just better at this than us?!
Emily says
Oooh, interesting. Don’t know. Let the investigation begin – I smell a future blog post!
Mrs BC says
I remember smugly saying that I didn’t hear my baby crying in my ears, I heard it in my heart. But it turned out to be a cat. (what an idiot! me, not the cat) Silence is the worst, silent children must always be checked on because if they haven’t stopped breathing they are up to no good.
xx
Emily says
HAHAHA! That is GOLD! (I hope you managed to settle the cat.)
Lisa @lybliss says
Laughing.
I swear I could hear my babies crying at home… while I was at the supermarket. And then of course my breast milk would leak.
Now I lie awake listening for my 19 yr old to creep into the house at 3 am. Wide awake. Still waiting.
Emily says
Yep. Or at home when they’re staying with their grandparents. Or on a (very rare) night out!
Didn’t think about the reverse situation. Oh, the joys I have to look forward to!
Tegan Churchill says
I do the waking up in the dead of the night thinking I can hear my son crying too and his is almost 4!
Emily says
So you’re telling me I’m doomed to do this for a while yet?! D’oh!
havealaughonme says
Oh Em I loved reading this – it’s SOO true. I was so much more relaxed with No.2, and by the time No.3 came around I honestly just rolled with everything that came along. And doesn’t it make parenting more fun? Em xx
Emily says
Number three. Three weeks ago I would have shuddered at the thought. Now? Not so much. (Don’t tell my husband. He wants four!)