Bumps in the Road

How can a smile with no teeth be so bright? I don't know, really. But Jett has got it down to a T. I woke up this morning to one of those smiles, the ones that light up the cloudy sky peeping in from around the curtains. I hoped today would be a good day.
I had to leave Jett for six hours straight today-something I had never done before. I've left him for four hours in the past, but there is something about that extra two that seems like forever. But my hopes were high. I had his bottle pumped & ready, his little tummy full, & everything in place for him to remain content while I was away.
Henry & Margie arrived around 10:30am (By the way, they are absolutely wonderful! I am so thankful for all they do for us). Shorty after that, I was on my way to class.
Well, this is what I learned today, sometimes babies are just going to have a rough day....& you just have to accept it & pray that the next will be better. Jett refused to take a bottle for the entire six hours. And it definantly wasn’t for lack of trying. They tried it warm, cool, sitting, standing, with oragel, even in two different bottles, & he simply refused. Of course I was torn & heartbroken as I sat in class knowing my baby was very hungry. Jett doesn’t haven’t any teeth showing yet, but I think his teeth are really bothering him. He usually sleeps really well, but the other night he woke up almost every hour-screaming. Something he has never done before. So, there’s one possibility. Here’s another, he’s just not used to it anymore. During the spring, he would take a bottle with ease. But after not having one for most of the summer he may have simply become accustomed to breastfeeding. And the last possibility…the one I’m hoping holds true…Jett just had a bad day. Maybe we just had a grouch ball on our hands today- Jett’s way or the highway. Austin said that he was also refusing to eat sweet potatoes, and he usually gobbles them up. Realistically though, it was probably a combination of all of these things that made his road bumpy today. As I type this, he is asleep-in his crib-peaceful as can be. I’m sure he is tired. Austin & I have a little ritual every night before we go to bed. We tiptoe into Jett’s room, quietly kiss him goodnight & tell him we love him….this is one of my favorite times of the day. Tonight will be no different. But as I look at him tonight, I will be even more thankful for having the time with him that I do. As I look at him, I will be thankful that six hours is a long time. I will be thankful that I have spent the past three months with my son uninterrupted. I will be thankful that my schedule is as flexible as it is. I left him for longer than I ever have today. And yeah, he had a difficult day. But how blessed are we that for the first five months of our sons life, I have never had to leave him for more than a few rare hours a day. After a long day, I step back, put things into perspective. Don’t think that your day was bad; think that your day was good & maybe, tomorrow will be good as well. Or maybe, even better.