The "I want" cry

It's been so interesting going through infancy this second time around. We're much more relaxed and comfortable. We're also far more in tune to Kiran's needs than we were to Jackson's in the early days. In fact, a few months ago, Ian and I were bragging about how Kiran didn't cry much. I think we had learned really quickly how to recognize her needs and her way of communicating needs. Up to about 5 months of age, it's pretty simple. They need to eat, to be burped, to sleep, to have their diapers changed, and to be held. That's about it.

Then about a month ago, the honeymoon ended somewhat. She started crying at bedtime. It was so easy before. She would yawn twice, we would put her in her bassinet. If she turned to her right and started sucking her thumb, we knew it was safe to let her fall asleep on her own. If she started crying, we would feed her a bit, then try again. But this crying thing.....

I should have known it was coming. She started getting social around then and looking around for us. I think the crying at bedtime was basically because she didn't want to go to bed. She wanted to be with us. Jackson specialized in this "I don't want to" cry. It was pathetic. He would stand there in his crib and cry at the top of his lungs. But as soon as we walked back in the room, he was all sunshine and smiles. Come to think of it, he still specializes in the "I don't want to" cry. If it's time to wash hands for dinner, or clean up after dinner, or go visit the potty, or get in the bath, or get out of the bath, or change his diaper, or put on his pajamas.... It's a very loud "EEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeehhhhhhhhhh", kind of like the sound you hear when a big rig slows down. It's sometimes accompanied by jumping up and down or a rapid stomping-in-place dance, kinda like what Jennifer Beals did in Flashdance. Once in a while we get the throw-the-body-on-the-floor trick. We know the "I don't want to" cry. It's a part of our life with our stubborn....er, uh...very determined and resolute boy.

But a couple of days ago, Kiran introduced us to something new. She was happily playing with a toy when another infant crawled over and took it out of her hands. She ramped up slowly, then looked at me with a hurt look on her face, and unleashed one of the most heart-rending cries I'd heard from her. The whole room of parents we were visiting with stopped for a moment and stared. It was nothing like an "I need" cry or and "I don't want to" cry. We are now faced with the fact that our little girl has a profoundly manipulative "I want" cry. I guess we're going to have to steel ourselves for life with a little girl.

Clarice