Parenting
By Jamie Collins
Updated: Dec. 3, 2020
Originally Published: April 6, 2016
Ah, the joys of parenthood! Just when I thought I was on the mend from the flu—an awful bout of it, mind you—my little guy decided it was the perfect time to wake up every two hours, demanding a bottle like a tiny tyrant. That’s right, my 4-month-old cutie pie turned into a 20-pound little rascal. Why? Because sometimes, they can be little rascals. In a moment of desperation, I whispered my new mantra to him: “Go to sleep already.”
It was just another one of those long nights. There I was, rocking him back to sleep, tears streaming down my face—exhaustion weighing heavily on me while he cried for reasons only he could understand. Was his diaper uncomfortable? Was the white noise machine not loud enough? Who knows? All I could think about was how I longed for the days of uninterrupted sleep. Who wishes their own kid out of existence? Well, maybe just a little.
Finally, we were all healed and functioning normally when our little bundle of joy decided he would only be content if he was held upright on our laps, bouncing on those adorable little legs. You know how great it is to build arm strength by holding a bouncing 20-pound baby? Perhaps he was trying to help me get fit! A thoughtful rascal, indeed.
For three long days, we passed him back and forth, supporting him under his little arms so he could bounce until he was exhausted, finally allowing us to place him in his swing for a brief 20-minute nap. Thank goodness for that swing, generously gifted to us by some wise friends at our baby shower. Those folks are definitely not rascals.
With sore biceps that would make a fitness trainer jealous, my partner and I concluded it was time to invest in a Jumperoo. The options were endless! Other parents in the store smiled knowingly as we browsed the bouncer section, weighing the pros and cons of each one in search of the perfect blend of entertainment and exercise for our little rascal. We ultimately chose one that plays classical music, and after spending $100, we drove home, excited about the new gadget that would hopefully give us some much-needed downtime.
The Jumperoo was set up, and we placed our little one inside, hoping he would be thrilled with his new toy. What did he do? He smiled for about five seconds before bursting into tears and flailing his arms in frustration. He smacked his little chubby arms into the surrounding toys until we scooped him up to comfort him. Talk about defeat!
We figured we’d let him cry for a few moments because, you know, little rascals. “It’s okay, buddy,” I said. “You can dislike the Jumperoo. No worries. We only spent money we don’t have on this thing while trying to keep up with formula and daycare expenses.” I thought about sending him an invoice when he gets his first job—because we are rascals who keep track of our spending like that.
The next day, I tried the Jumperoo again. Babies have a knack for loving something one day and hating it the next, don’t they? I held my breath, hoping he would discover the joy of bouncing. But nope. He grabbed the bright sunflower toy to his left, pulling it toward his mouth in frustration. It wouldn’t budge! The cheeky little plastic sunflower seemed to mock him. He swung his fist at it as if that would make it bend to his will. Not this time, my little buddy—punching rarely solves problems.
Defeated, he clutched the sunflower and screamed in frustration. Why did I laugh? Not because I wanted him to suffer but because I realized this was just the beginning of many disappointments he would face in life. He would encounter plenty of challenges ahead, unyielding smiley toys that wouldn’t budge.
Reflecting on my own frustrations from those sleepless nights reminded me that it’s okay to feel overwhelmed and exhausted. None of us is special; we all deal with the inevitable frustrations that life throws our way. Tomorrow is a new day, after all.
I picked him up, and he snuggled against me, wrapping his tiny arms around my neck. “There, there, my little rascal. Your mom can be a rascal too.” And you know what? We’re going to be just fine.
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Summary
This humorous take on life with a 4-month-old highlights the challenges and joys of parenting a young child. The author reflects on their experiences with sleepless nights and the ever-changing moods of their baby, ultimately conveying the message that both parents and children will face frustrations in life.