Snuggling Again
For I don’t even know how long, Ben has been eating his bottles on his own. I put him in the Boppy on the floor, hand him the bottle, and he eats. When he’s done, he sits right up and goes to play. I sit nearby, but I can usually check my e-mail on my phone, watch TV, or just sit and talk to him. If he’s having a fussier day, I’ll sit right next to him and stroke his forehead or play with his toes, and usually that’s enough to keep him happy.
One of the things that has made me sad over the past few months is that Ben has absolutely no interest in snuggling with me anymore. He used to LOVE cuddling up with Mommy. Now, even when being held, he pushes away from me so he can look around, play with my hair, play with the diaper bag, play with my shirt, babble to people standing near him… I almost love it when we’re out somewhere and he’s exhausted, because that’s the only time he’ll lay his little head on my shoulder and cuddle up with me.
Well, over the past few weeks, Ben has wanted me to hold him while he’s eating at least once a day. Sometimes he just wants to lay across my lap, pretty much identical to how he was laying in the Boppy, and other times he wants me to snuggle him up super close and cradle him up against me. Either way, if I don’t, he will cry and scream and refuse to eat until I pick him up. I’m completely baffled by it. It started before Matt left, so I can’t blame it on the deployment making him want to be extra close — although it has happened more often since Matt has left. After he’s done eating, I can usually put him right back down and he goes off to play. It’s only while he eats that he wants to snuggle up.
I’m really just flummoxed by this! I don’t mind it in the least. It’s actually nice, to be able to sit and cuddle with him. We spend most of the time just looking at each other. I’ll pat his back and stroke his head, and he just stares at me. It’s almost like having an infant again. It’s the only time we get to be close and have that intimacy again that I miss so much. But still, I wonder what has brought this on. Whatever the reason, I guess I should just enjoy it while it lasts.
Have you noticed any unusual changes in behavior lately?
